Crackdown slashes youth crime, police claim
Youth crime is on the fall in coastal towns after police set up an initiative to target young thugs and antisocial behaviour.
Officers in Shoreham, Southwick, Lancing and Sompting began Operation Respect three months ago.
Since then they claim the number of crimes and complaints about youth crime have fallen.
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There have been 55 people arrested during the operation and 20 of them were aged 17 and under.
Among the arrests there have been three for possession of weapons, one for assault of a police constable, seven for possession of drugs, five for actual bodily harm, one for grievous bodily harm and three for burglary.
Action has been taken against another 73 youths including letters sent home to parents, home visits by officers, antisocial behaviour contracts and problem solving meetings with the threat of antisocial behaviour orders issued.
Fifty-one of the 73 youths have not come to the attention of police after action was taken.
Thirty-two have been taken, or sent, home by officers.
On June 1 this year, shortly after the campaign was launched, Shoreham teenager Michael Morgan was stabbed to death at a Lancing caravan park run by Adur District Council.
A 16-year-old has appeared in court charged with his murder.
Operation Respect has involved officers patrolling areas across the town's known to be favoured hang-outs for youngsters, CCTV vans and video footage of youths misbehaving.
In some cases footage of the youngsters has been shown back to parents.
Earlier this month, The Argus reported how police in Shoreham had been forced to release a nine-year-old caught stealing jewellery from homes because he was under the age of criminal responsibility.
On August 16, a 17-year-old was charged with two counts of actual bodily harm after hitting two youths with a skateboard outside the Ship Inn in Southwick.
A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of burglary after fingerprints were found at the targeted property in Featherstone Road in Lancing on July 6.
An Argus investigation exposed the Total Garage in Shoreham after a shop assistant sold alcohol to a 15-year-old girl.
Police gave the assistant a fine and met with management to discuss their tightening up licensing procedures.
The same store had, earlier this year, been fined for selling vodka to a 17-year-old who supplied it to 13-year-old Jack Strom of Shoreham.
The schoolboy was later found unconscious in a park and taken to hospital after he drank about a litre of the spirit.
Adur Police Chief Inspector Lawrence Hobbs said: "I am absolutely delighted by the results and the impact the plan is having.
"We have certainly noticed a decrease in incidents and complaints, and it is appearing to have the suppressing effect I was looking for when we launched the plan."
4:55pm today
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CommentPosted by: jus, hove on 9:56pm today
good news yes... albeit hiding a much bigger point... why does there have to be a special 'operation' in order for 'crime to fall'? ... correct me if i'm wrong, but our taxes pay for cops to do this anyway? that's their job surely, or am i missing something? once the 'operation' is over, can we expect that particular crime wave to rise again?
good news yes... albeit hiding a much bigger point... why does there have to be a special 'operation' in order for 'crime to fall'? ... correct me if i'm wrong, but our taxes pay for cops to do this anyway? that's their job surely, or am i missing something? once the 'operation' is over, can we expect that particular crime wave to rise again? Posted by: ex plod on 10:41pm today
[bold]Among the arrests there have been three for possession of weapons, one for assault of a police constable, seven for possession of drugs, five for actual bodily harm, one for grievous bodily harm and three for burglary[/bold] and the Police are calling this 'Operation Respect' ? Shows what these little Chav scum have in terms of 'Respect'
Among the arrests there have been three for possession of weapons, one for assault of a police constable, seven for possession of drugs, five for actual bodily harm, one for grievous bodily harm and three for burglary
and the Police are calling this 'Operation Respect' ?
Shows what these little Chav scum have in terms of 'Respect' Posted by: robbed, Lancing on 10:45pm today
Great news but im not convinced. I live in Lancing and have had four garage burglaries, suffered vandalism, tresspass and even provided clear photo evidence of my car being vandalised. Many in my neighbourhood have had the same experience. Not a single prosecution!!! One officer told that the kids breaking into my garage and stealing an expensive mountain bike "wasnt technically a crime"!!!
Great news but im not convinced. I live in Lancing and have had four garage burglaries, suffered vandalism, tresspass and even provided clear photo evidence of my car being vandalised. Many in my neighbourhood have had the same experience. Not a single prosecution!!! One officer told that the kids breaking into my garage and stealing an expensive mountain bike "wasnt technically a crime"!!! Posted by: greyrun, Hove on 10:48pm today
Proper policing works wow what a surprise.
Proper policing works wow what a surprise. Posted by: Rob, Brighton on 10:50pm today
The point is, this 'crack down' is only what should be happening everyday of the week, every week. Three things are needed, more police on the streets, routine stop and search, and custodial sentences that scare criminals to death - community service wont deter any thieving toe rag. Oh yeah - carrying a knife means that person is intending to maim or kill and should attract a 20 year sentence. Knife crime will drop to almost nil in 6 weeks. Dont feel sorry for the knife carrying scum bag who loses 20 years of his life, feel sorry for the innocent 20yo that will lose ALL his life after being stabbed. And if the 'European Court of Human Rights' have any objections, tell them this is Britain and we make the rules. If only.
The point is, this 'crack down' is only what should be happening everyday of the week, every week. Three things are needed, more police on the streets, routine stop and search, and custodial sentences that scare criminals to death - community service wont deter any thieving toe rag. Oh yeah - carrying a knife means that person is intending to maim or kill and should attract a 20 year sentence. Knife crime will drop to almost nil in 6 weeks. Dont feel sorry for the knife carrying scum bag who loses 20 years of his life, feel sorry for the innocent 20yo that will lose ALL his life after being stabbed. And if the 'European Court of Human Rights' have any objections, tell them this is Britain and we make the rules. If only. Posted by: jus, hove on 10:53pm today
if the kids are still living at home and are under 18 its the parents responsibility to dish out justice if the cops won't or can't... but will they? therein lies the problem in my eyes... there's an underclass, call it 'chav' if you will, but it's still there... and the gulf between the mainstream and this underclass is growing all the time, not helped by the growing gulf between those with their own property, pensions, good jobs etc. and those who have nothing... the ridiculous rise in property prices, helped by terribly low salaries for most jobs within the coastal towns is to blame too.. if you are 16 and not too bright, how else but through crime can you see yourself with a future? this isn't hand-wringing, but harsh economic reality..
if the kids are still living at home and are under 18 its the parents responsibility to dish out justice if the cops won't or can't... but will they? therein lies the problem in my eyes... there's an underclass, call it 'chav' if you will, but it's still there... and the gulf between the mainstream and this underclass is growing all the time, not helped by the growing gulf between those with their own property, pensions, good jobs etc. and those who have nothing... the ridiculous rise in property prices, helped by terribly low salaries for most jobs within the coastal towns is to blame too.. if you are 16 and not too bright, how else but through crime can you see yourself with a future? this isn't hand-wringing, but harsh economic reality..
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