ST.ALBANS: Anti-social youths have moved on

Anti-social youths have moved on

ANTI-SOCIAL teenagers are looking for a new place to hang out after security cameras were installed in a parade of shops in St Albans.

Shops in Cell Barnes Lane clubbed together to raise £1,200 towards CCTV and since the installation two weeks ago, and this week shopkeepers revealed that the number of troublesome youths loitering outside shop fronts has dropped.

According to shopowners anti-social behaviour has been a problem in recent months - yobs gathering in the area drink alcohol, thieve, fight and intimidate elderly people visiting the the stores.

But the new security scheme, also funded by the community safety partnership and the council, is acting as a deterrent and less youths are making a nuisance of themselves.

Owner of Bubbles launderette, who does not want to be named because she fears repercussions, said: "Kids used to gather and older people were scared to come here, now it is much better than before."

Steven Brill, owner of the chemist for 14 years, said: "We had a break in - they didn't take very much, but they made a mess that cost us £2,000."

Mr Brill thinks it is too early to be sure the CCTV will combat anti-social behaviour in the area, but he is hopeful the scheme will be a success.

"There's been less trouble," he said. "But it's hard to say, but I like to think it will work."

Earlier this year burglars broke into the Hulse greengrocers and stole money from the till and caused damage to the shop front.

Jackie Webb, who has been a manager of the greengrocers for 37 years, said: "If we had cameras at the time we would have seen who the culprits were.

"It's piece of mind - we know if there's any trouble we can look on the Co-ops cameras now."

Jackie said she has noticed a drop in the number of young people hanging around the parade of shops in the last two weeks and she believes the CCTV is the reason youths are steering clear of the area.

"Now that we have cameras on the parade, if we have any problems we can get some answers."

Shopkeepers are pleased about the increased police presence patrolling the parade and they believe this has also helped to reduce the disruptive gangs gathering in the outside the shops.

PC Hiscock, neighbourhood officer for the Cell Barnes area, said: "I am confident that these new cameras will make a difference locally, not only to the shopkeepers and their staff, but to members of the public who will hopefully feel safer while they are shopping."

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