Business, Crime, News, Uncategorized

Harassment and criminal damage in Hucknall targeted by antisocial behaviour operation

Business owners in Hucknall say more help is needed to tackle antisocial behaviour in the town as the local council runs a crackdown.

Neighbour disputes, noise nuisance, harassment and environmental damage are being targeted by local councils like Ashfield District, as part of an awareness week nationwide.

Police crime figures show there are around than 50 reports of antisocial behvaiour in the town every month – and there were more than 100 in December alone.

Charles Edwards, Ashfield District Council’s executive director, said: “I’m confident that ASB awareness week is effective and I am very confident that the services that we provide relating to community safety are very effective.

“Over the last few weeks we’ve been focusing our efforts in Hucknall and Sutton as well as other areas and we’ve seen our community protection officers working with partners, connecting with the voluntary sector.

“They’ve been out doing patrols and engaging with residents throughout the day and we’re doing a number of services and consultations with residents to try to understand what residents are facing within their communities that relate to antisocial behaviour.

“In Ashfield, sadly we see what I would describe as quite typical antisocial behaviour so on-street nuisance, things like street drinking and young people hanging around often getting up to activities they shouldn’t be.

“That lower level on-street nuisance can still have a huge impact on communities and the way that communities engage with each other and so even though we put it on the lower end of antisocial behaviour, we still take it very seriously.”

Antisocial behaviour in Hucknall is a problem that continues to negatively impact local businesses, with some business owners telling Notts TV they are dealing with frequent shoplifting and property damage.

Falah Ibrahem, owner of Top Drinks in Hucknall High Street, says things are “very bad”.

“I’ve been a shopkeeper more than 20 years, I’ve had two other businesses elsewhere but I don’t have issues like in this town.

“My drain pipe has been broken, people bang on windows, my car has had its windows smashed in.

“Kids have brought in dog poo and thrown it in the shop –  I had to close the shop down to clean it.

“Between B&M and my building, there is space and people can’t see them – Friday and Saturday are the worst days.

“You see them, 13, 14-year-olds drug dealing and you see kids come into this shop with a spliff behind their ear.

“We need more police, and for the council to do more.”

Mr Ibrahem said he would like to see the council speak to schools to strengthen education.

In October, Notts Police visited shops in Hucknall as part of plans to cut crime in the area.

Shop staff were advised about CCTV management, the effective use of witness statements, and the importance of retaining evidence.

At the time, Inspector Chris Boylin, district commander for Ashfield, said: “Shoplifting and antisocial behaviour are priority areas for us to tackle, which is why we are asking shop staff to help in this way.

“These offences are a blight on our town centres and we know put people off from spending their time and money in these areas.

“That is totally unacceptable and isn’t something we will tolerate.”