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PETROL BOMB ESTATES LEFT 'LIVING IN FEAR"
CCTV fails to help police investigation after night of gangs terror
POLICE are back to square one in their investigation of a terrifying petrol bomb bombardment in Pimlico which is suspected to have been the end game of a long running gang feud.
A group of youths who came to be known by police as the “Tachbrook 11” were arrested following the incident, but were later released without charge.
Officers were called to Chichester Street – which residents say marks a “no man’s land” in the turf war between youths from the Churchill Gardens and Tachbrook estates – after being alerted to a hail of petrol bombs being thrown on the evening of May 5.
Now, more than a month later, police have failed to find any CCTV footage that shows the attack or the perpetrators behind it.
Residents on the estates say they are “living in fear” of reprisal attacks and are making moves to diffuse rising tensions.
Following the incident, which police are calling a one-off, officers discovered a stash house containing a supply of petrol bombs in Tachbrook estate .
A police spokeswoman said: “The incident is still being investigated.
“All the youths that were arrested have been ?released without charge.”
For those who live on the two estates, police assurances will come as little comfort.
One resident said the spiralling feud between youths on the two estates was getting out of hand.
In the past two weeks the police and the council’s community safety team have mounted an assault on youth disorder in the area, obtaining a handful of anti-social behaviour injunctions that will ban troublemakers from crossing the no man’s land, invisible to most, between the two estates. They have also stepped up foot patrols and next month will launch a 10-week unprecedented outreach programme to try and establish a ceasefire between the two estates.
Councillor Daniel Astaire, cabinet member for community safety at Westminster City Council, said: “Fortunately, nobody was hurt in this incident, but such behaviour is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.
“The event must have been extremely intimidating for local people and the council will work with the police and other partners to do all that we can to deal with those responsible. Yobbish and criminal behaviour has no place in Westminster’s streets.” |
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