Teenagers who went on a wrecking spree in North Tyneside received a nasty wake-up call from the council and Northumbria Police on Monday morning.
Members of the council’s Community Protection Team, backed up by Northumbria Police, visited 10 homes linked to recent incidents in North Shields and Tynemouth. The youngsters, aged 13-16, have all been stopped by the police for anti-social behaviour in the borough.
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Now their parents have received a stark warning – ‘bring your children under control or face action’. The operation got under way at 7am, with officers calling at council-owned and private rented properties in Meadow Well and Wallsend.
Occupants were served legal action warnings due to the actions of the young people under their roof and three households received a ‘notice seeking possession’ which is the final warning a tenant receives before eviction proceedings begin.
It followed a series of incidents including the vandalism of the roof of Riley’s Fish Shack in Tynemouth and an attack on an ambulance crew responding to an emergency at The Parks Centre. In another incident, a shopping trolley was thrown on to Metro tracks which became wedged between Metro carriages and overhead cables and disrupted services on a Saturday night.
The action was part of Operation Respect; a joint initiative between the council and police which aims to stamp out anti-social behaviour in parts of the borough.
Ritchie Mitchell, Community and Public Space Protection Manager, said: “The majority of young people in North Tyneside are decent and law-abiding; a credit to themselves and their families. Sadly, there is a minority who persist in causing trouble and making life a misery for others in their community, and today’s action should be a wake up call for them and their parents.
“They need to know that we will not tolerate abuse, criminal damage, or the harassment of the public in North Tyneside, and we will always take firm and decisive action against anyone whose behaviour has a detrimental impact on the community.
“The strength of our partnership with the police means we are always well-equipped to identify and tackle those responsible. It means we can respond quickly when incidents occur, so that those responsible are dealt with in the right way. That is largely why North Tyneside remains such a safe place to live and long may it continue.”
Chief Inspector Colin Lowther, who is in charge of Northumbria Police’s North Tyneside Neighbourhood Policing Teams, said: “I hope this acts as a strong warning to others – action will be taken against you if you cause anti-social behaviour that impacts the local community.
“We want people who live in, work in and visit North Tyneside to use and enjoy what the region has to offer, both during the day and in the evening, and feel safe doing so. By working with our partners at the council, Operation Respect plays a vital role in ensuring that happens.
“North Tyneside is a great place to live and boasts fantastic community values, the majority of residents love and respect the area. Anyone found deliberately causing chaos and acting in an anti-social manner will be dealt with swiftly.”
Residents can report criminal or anti-social behaviour confidentially to the Police on 101 (dial 999 in an emergency) or to the Community Protection team on 0191 643 3333, by email to community.protection@northtyneside.gov.uk, by Twitter @NTC_ASBTEAM or by visiting the ‘report it’ section of the council’s website.
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