Call for police action against teenage group 'petrifying' locals (From Enfield Independent)

Call for police action against teenage group 'petrifying' Enfield street

12:40pm Tuesday 26th June 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

Shopkeepers in Baker Street said police needed to take action.

Traders and homeowners are calling for police to take action against a group of teenagers who have led a four-year campaign of violence.

Shopkeepers in Baker Street and people living nearby told the Enfield Independent and Enfield North MP Nick de Bois that boys living near to the shops regularly threatened locals, smashed windows and set fire to bins.

But despite four years of threatening behaviour and dozens of complaints to police, the group are still free to frighten residents.

Bulelt Aydemir, who works at Baker Street Newsagents, said: “They have come in here trying to buy cigarettes but I won’t sell to them because they are not old enough.

“They rattle and smash the window so all of my stock falls off and throw coins, and one time they punctured the tyres on my car.

“The police come here all the time but there are so many different boys and nothing gets done. I’ve worked here for four years and it’s always been a problem. What can I do?”

The Enfield Independent has received reports of the group hurling racist abuse at shopkeepers, breaking into cars, dealing drugs and even using a homemade flame thrower. Many people were too frightened to be named for fear of reprisals.

But Maggie Wilson, who moved into the area in October, said people needed to stand up together as she described how trouble that started “innocently enough” with snowballs being thrown at her house ended with her wheelie bins being set on fire in April – very nearly causing her car to catch alight.

She said: “When I moved here I had no idea about this and thought it was a lovely neighbourhood – which it can be – but these boys have made me absolutely petrified. I’ve had stones and bricks thrown at the house.

“I think the police need to prosecute them and take them away. It’s clearly been going on for years and I’m sick of it.”

She added that local Safer Neighbourhood Teams officers had given her a CCTV camera to try and record evidence of the gang, but had not showed her how to install it.

Mr de Bois told the Enfield Independent that “shopkeepers and residents should not be living in fear of violence”.

He added: “I’m pleased that the local police are on the case but it’s quite clear to me that more needs to be done to bring these thugs to justice. It seems everyone knows their identity and of their disgraceful behaviour.

“Crime of this level needs to get dealt with before it gets much worse and these youngsters commit serious crime.”

The Enfield Independent is waiting for a response from Enfield Police.