Border Telegraph | News | Tearaways are causing mayhem

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Tuesday, 11th October, 2005 15:47

Tearaways are causing mayhem

By Border Telegraph Newsroom

AIMLESS young children are causing problems at night in Galashiels town centre.

According to a local police officer, “swarms” of tiny tearaways are creating “absolute mayhem” while they wander the streets.

Concern about vandalism and anti-social behaviour may lead to police using footage from the town’s CCTV system as an educational tool to make youngsters aware of local anxieties.

Speaking at last week’s meeting of Galashiels and Langlee Community Council, PC John Lennon said: “The majority of crime (in Galashiels district) continues to be vandalism.

“It’s a sorry state of affairs, but it’s 40 per cent of all the crime we deal with.

“On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, there’s a rush of young kids hanging about the town.

“We’re not talking about 16 to 20-year-olds here.

“There are 11 to 14 and 15-year-olds causing absolute mayhem in the town and in the swarms they are going about in.

“These kids are causing all sorts of grief.

“It’s just not acceptable.”

PC Lennon told community councillors that local children and youngsters from Selkirk and Melrose were leaning on restaurant and bar windows, breaking car mirrors, littering, trashing flower beds, being cheeky to their elders and vandalising property.

He stressed that not all such youngsters were bad, adding that parents had to show more responsiblity.

The local police officer said: “Check where your kids are or get them to confirm where they have been.

“I’m sure a lot of parents won’t know where they’ve been.”

The prospect of young children being intimidated or influenced by criminal elements in the older age groups is a worry.

PC Lennon said: “We need to get idle kids off the streets before the bad people come out.”

Broadening the anti-social behaviour issue, he hoped that excerpts of CCTV footage could be taken around local schools to let children know of local concerns.

Social Bookmarking What are these?