Cracking down on the yobs (From Penarth Times)

Cracking down on the yobs

OVER the past six weeks police in the Vale of Glamorgan division have been running Operation Dubai to target and combat youth annoyance and anti-social behaviour.

Officers targeted Penarth. Dinas Powys, Barry and Llantwit Major.

They conducted additional high visibility and plain-clothes patrols throughout the Vale - with positive results.

Over the six weeks more than 253 youths were stopped and searched.

This resulted in 44 Anti-Social Behaviour Order referrals being issued, nine arrests, and 117 intelligence reports being submitted.

Sixteen children also had letters sent to their parents, with three young people being taken home by officers and spoken to in front of their parents.

Police officers confiscated and disposed of more than 273 bottles of alcohol including lager, wine, cider, vodka and other spirits.

Superintendent Josh Jones, Divisional Commander in the Vale, said: "We are not out to demonise young people.

"However a small minority of young people, often fuelled by drink, act with total disregard for the rest of the community.

"We won't tolerate this and hope that by making arrests, taking children home or writing to parents that the message will get through."

Acting Sergeant Charlotte Hobrough, who co-ordinated the operation, said: "We would ask parents to ensure they know where their children are and what they get up to on a Friday and Saturday evening.

"For example, we found young people in Dinas Powys telling their parents they were staying at each other's houses - while actually camping in the fields of the community centre and getting drunk."

The police are also working with the Vale Youth Service and voluntary sector to address the issue.

The Youth Service has carried out surveys of young people and the results will be published soon.

Supt Jones added: "The Vale has seen year on year reductions in crime over several years.

"But I know residents feel intimidated by groups of youths that sometimes behave in an unacceptable manner.