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FINES are ‘quick and efficient’ ... Lin Houldershaw
On-the-spot fine bid to tame vandals
Bethan Dorsett15/ 9/2007
YOBS spotted causing criminal damage will be hit where it hurts the most – the pocket.
Police are to use £80 on-the-spot fines throughout the borough to tackle troublemakers when they are caught in the act of vandalising property.
These powers were given to officers three years ago, but have been more likely to be used tackling other nuisance crime, such as people drinking in the street.
Acting Chief Inspector Lin Houldershaw says the fines are an efficient way of dealing with vandalism and youth nuisance, some of the most common complaints regularly raised at public meetings.
The fines could be used to tackle incidents similar to those which have been reported continually in the Observer over the past month.
These have included yobs hurling stones and spraying graffitti in Greave which has triggered a police operation, a spate of overnight rubbish fires in Castleton and Kirkholt and youths ripping gas pipes from properties in Cutgate, leading to fears that a death was waiting to happen.
Inspector Houldershaw said: “We would not use these fines to tackle a person who had caused a £200,000 arson, for example.
“But it is a quick and efficient way to combat low-level crime.
“These penalties will free up officers on patrol who may otherwise have to spend time taking the offender into custody.
“It also prevents a lengthy court case, where a victim of crime would have to attend court to indicate how their property has been damaged.”
Fixed penalty notices were introduced five years ago to combat offences such as malicious 999 calls or trespassing on a railway but the criteria was later extended to include criminal damage.
l Anyone wanting to report youth nuisance can call the police on 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers, for free and in confidence, on 0800 555111.
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16/09/2007 at 22:53