Residents in a block of flats in Birmingham say they are scared to leave their homes as yobs keep breaking in and terrorising communal areas. Fed-up inhabitants of Bakeman House have even handed the local councillor a petition demanding that things change.
Based in Yardley, Bakeman House is part of a sheltered housing scheme with elderly and vulnerable tenants. In recent years, it has been affected by rough sleepers in their bin room, but things have now reached a new low, BirminghamLive writes.
John, who lives in the block, said there had been a litany of complaints in recent months - which started after CCTV was removed from the downstairs area. He said Birmingham City Council had "ripped them out everywhere" following Government guidance - but claimed it had been used as an excuse for "money-saving" and that residents were not consulted.
"They removed our cameras from Bakeman House 12 months ago," John said. "We've had so many incidents in the last year including £3,000 worth of carpet stolen out of the foyer. We've had machete-waving youths in the block and now we keep having our front door vandalised."
John said local yobs - and older people with drug and alcohol issues - had ripped the wires out of the door to make it stay open. He said the housing board had been forced to spend thousands of repairs, with workmen out "all the time".
"We're constantly having people in the block that shouldn't be here," John added. "The local drunks now sit outside and pull the wires out the door so it stays open. It takes two weeks to repair and costs thousands of pounds to do all this work."
Another local resident, who gave his name only as David, said he had been left frightened in his own home. He said he moved almost a decade ago and had seen things go downhill.
"When I moved here it was a home for everybody," he said. "Since then the council have taken the cameras out and we feel intimidated.
"You can't even walk in the block without getting anxious or nervous because there are always groups of youths in here. Old people in the block are scared to leave. They feel like prisoners in their own homes.
"It's horrible. My anxiety has gone through the roof and my medication has been doubled. When you've got youths here you know they have got knives on them. The police don't have time to come out.
"We want safety. We pay our rent. We pay our service charge but I don't know what that's for. We need security. We need the cameras back so we feel safe in our home. Our home has been taken off us."
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Councillor Zaker Choudhry, who represents South Yardley, said he would be raising the petition in full council. He said he supported the push for cameras to be re-installed.
Cllr Choudhry said: "Some of the residents are getting attacked by hooligans standing outside. Most of the problems I'm getting [are about] the safety of residents.
"The residents' concerns are drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and all the issues relating to [these] problems. They are not safe. They are requesting for cameras to be installed so they can have a peaceful life."
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: "If residents are concerned about their safety or witness criminal damage they should ring West Midlands Police immediately. We work closely with police and will not tolerate residents being threatened or property destroyed.
"We will check security at the block and carefully consider the issues raised in the petition when we receive it. Residents can also consult with their local councillor if they wish to raise issues about the block."
