A Luton resident plagued by yobs has called for an increased police presence in Wigmore, Round Green and Stopsley, after the areas were made the subject of a dispersal order.
Luton News exclusively revealed last week that residents said they had been left to feel ‘like prisoners in their own homes’ by a known gang of youths who had committed a wide range of anti-social offences.
With reported incidents going up by a third year on year Beds Police applied for a six month dispersal order, which Luton Borough Council agreed on Monday.
This will allow officers to remove children under the age of 16 to their homes, it also places a 9pm curfew for kids of the same age range.
A Turners Road North resident, who wished not to be named, told Luton News the worsening situation had left her wanting to move home.
She said: “This has gone back years, there has been vandalism, thefts, threats and so much more worse.
“Last week they burnt down a makeshift campsite they had made, which meant fire crews had to be sent out.
“It has been distressing for everyone who lives in the area, especially for the elderly residents closer to Ashcroft Road.
“The CCTV has only shifted the problem further down the road– there really needs to be a larger police presence to deal with this.”
Beds Police superintendent David Boyle confirmed the order would commence from the end of the month.
He said: “A full operational plan will now be developed by Bedfordshire Police and other partners to fully address the anti-social behaviour experienced by local residents.
“Everyone has a right to be able to go about their lives without the concerns that anti-social behaviour causes and this dispersal order is one tactic that the police will be utilising to support the local residents and alleviate the problems in these areas.”
Cllr Naseem Ayub, the council’s portfolio holder for community safety, added: “We hope the order will help the majority of peaceful and law-abiding people in the area can carry on with their lives without having to tolerate ongoing antisocial behaviour by the few.”