Police get tough on town centre yobs

A crackdown on gangs of youths, whose anti-social behaviour is making Burnley town centre a 'no go' zone for people in the evening at weekends, has been welcomed.
The area in Burnley town centre where police issued a section 34 dispersal order to keep yobs out. Photo: GoogleThe area in Burnley town centre where police issued a section 34 dispersal order to keep yobs out. Photo: Google
The area in Burnley town centre where police issued a section 34 dispersal order to keep yobs out. Photo: Google

Chris Gribben, who is the Charter Walk shopping centre manager, said: “I would support the police in any measures they introduce to help with this problem. These youths are not just hanging around, they are causing damage to shop windows and the planted areas in town. They are also cycling in an anti-social manner through the town centre which is putting themselves and others at risk of injury. The town centre is an open zone for everyone so we cannot tolerate a minority preventing others from feeling safe.”

Burnley Police issued a section 34 dispersal order last weekend from 9pm Saturday to Sunday. The order affects St James’s Street from Marks and Spencer to Hall Street and Bankfield to the junction of Curzon Street. Police decided to bring in the order after receiving dozens of complaints about gangs of youths congregating and riding bikes around at top speed even though cycling is banned throughout the town centre.

Public welcomes exclusion zone

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The move to get tough on town centre yobs has been welcomed on the Burnley and Padiham Police Facebook page.

There have been several comments of support and a call for the return of traditional policing from Lisa Skip Jakeway who said: “Bring back the days when the local bobby gave you a clip round the ear and sent you home with ‘Go and tell your Dad why I made you cry’.”

“There was nothing scarier.”