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Youths turn over cars in rampage
A NIGHT of chaos in which three cars were overturned by rampaging youths should not prejudice residents against young people who have nowhere to go and too little to do, a top community policeman told the New Journal yesterday.
Sgt Peter Ryan, who leads the Kentish Town Safer Neighbourhood Team, called for calm after alarmed residents made 12 calls to police as 20 youths targeted cars in Burghley Road, Oakford Road, and Chetwynd Road shortly before midnight last Thursday. Two Nissan Micras and a Mini were pushed onto their sides. The youths scattered when police patrols arrived, sparking a series of pursuits through the normally quiet streets between Highgate Road and Fortess Road. One chase ended when police caught two youths, aged 17 and 16, in York Rise.
Sgt Ryan said last night that he was no apologist for the vandals but could understand why youths gathered in large groups on the streets.
He said: “To act in the manner they did that night was absolutely outrageous. It was mindless vandalism.
“We’ve increased patrols in the area and we’ll be following up this investigation. But this problem is not going to be solved just by enforcement. We need to look at it holistically, to think about what youth facilities there are. It all ties into the Book of Grievances – working with young people.”
Strings of minor offences committed by youths have raised concerns among some Kentish Town residents and businesses in recent months. Resident representatives on the Safer Neighbourhoods panel have also spoken of their alarm at groups of young people hanging around in the area between Tufnell Park, Highgate Road and Kentish Town underground station, prompting Camden police to deploy extra patrols, including officers drafted in from Scotland Yard. But according to Sgt Ryan, the youths are less of a threat than many think.
“People are intimidated by youths hanging around and I understand that. But residents shouldn’t be afraid of these kids. Sometimes people say to me that they’re afraid that they might be carrying knives, but I’m sure they don’t carry knives routinely.
“We do regular stop and searches. If they were carrying knives we’d find them.”
The Kentish Town police are fully aware of the activities of these groups, which are as much to with boredom and frustration as with serious criminal intent, he added. “These are groups of up to 20 youths, not all of them Camden residents, who are seeking somewhere to gather.
“We are working with youth workers to try and engage the kids and find out what the problems are. ”
The two youths arrested last Friday morning were released on bail. Three other youths were arrested later, two of whom were found in possession of stolen mobile phones.
A police investigation is continuing.
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