Teenage gangs return to make life a misery (From thisisoxfordshire)

Teenage gangs return to make life a misery

4:50pm Tuesday 16th February 2010

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THE lives of traders are being made a misery by gangs of youths who spit and throw rubbish at them.

Gurkha Delight, which was opened by three former Gurkhas two months ago in Thorney Leys, Witney, has been targeted by groups of up to 50 youngsters a night.

Owner Chitra Kc, 50, who was a Gurkha in 1991, said it was time something was done.

He said: “The children hang around the window, making a lot of noise like a monkey, taking down the sign boards. They spit everywhere.

“The police never come in time.”

He said that children as young as ten were part of the gangs.

Manager Prawesh Kc added: “They come in groups, and if you actually stand up to them, they will bring reinforcements and will be violent. It is basic disturbances, with them being abusive. It was up to 40 to 50 per night.”

The restaurant has reported the problems to police, and Mr Kc said that it had quietened down in the past couple of weeks.

Chief Inspector Jack Malhi, police commander for West Oxfordshire, said: “At the beginning of January, we received a couple of calls relating to the behaviour of some young people around the shopping parade on the Thorney Leys estate.

“Following some enquiries with the local shopkeepers, Thames Valley Police decided to immediately launch a high visibility operation on the estate, aimed at tackling the perceived anti-social behaviour problems with some of the youths that had been congregating around the shops. We have also been identifying some of the youths who may be involved in this anti-social behaviour, and sending letters to their parents, in a bid to engage with them and get them involved.

“In total, anti-social behaviour continues to remain low in West Oxfordshire, and in West Witney we have seen a 40 per cent reduction in the like-for-like number of reported anti-social behaviour incidents in the period December to February. This represents a total of nine incidents, down from 15.”

A Witney customer of the restaurant said that the police were called on Thursday, January 4. He said: “Youths were climbing around outside the restaurant, pulling down banners and being abusive to the staff.

“The manager said it was a regular occurrence, with them throwing rubbish through the doors, spitting and urinating against the doors. The owners were trying to run a restaurant and they get this abuse for no reason.”

He estimated the teenagers were aged between 14 and 15. He added: “I think it is unfair for the restaurant owners, who put in a lot of hard work. They are Gurkha soldiers, who have served for this country, and the kids don’t respect them.”

Christine Tsang, who owns nearby TSE Fish and Chips, said up to ten teenagers congregated outside. She said: “Sometimes it’s intimidating, and it scares people from coming in.

“If I have no customers to serve, I usually hide myself in the kitchen.”

She said that youngsters shouted abuse at her between two to seven days a week.

Mrs Tsang said: “You get more police come around, as they go when the police come, and come back when the police go.

“They keep harassing my neighbours, and I always feel a bit suspicious as they cover their faces with scarves.”

She added: “It went a bit quieter after it was in the paper, but it’s back to normal now, but with a different group.”

In April, residents complained that gangs would hang around intimidating homeowners. After increased police patrols, the problem quietened down.

Resident Georgina Dominy, 65, said: “It’s terrible again. The Gurkhas used to have these lovely signs on their windows, but they have pulled that down.

“The teenagers are being really nasty, kicking things down.”

Police spokesman, Chris Kearney, confirmed that there had been six calls since January, 1.

He said officers had arrested five teenagers in connection with the trouble – a 15-year-old boy, who is on police bail, a 17-year-old girl, who appeared in court on February 12, a 17-year-old boy cautioned for possession of cannabis, and two other under-18s, where no further action was taken.

Last month, 60 extra hours of police patrols have taken place in Thorney Leys and Burwell Drive, and a unique reference number has been devised for shopkeepers to report any trouble.

The parents of up to 20 young people have been written to, asking for them to attend a meeting to discuss the problem.

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