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Video: Anti-social behaviour - 'Don't suffer in silence' say police
A TOP city cop has urged people not to "suffer in silence" as police get tough on the anti-social behaviour blighting Peterborough.
A TOP city cop has urged people not to "suffer in silence" as police get tough on the anti-social behaviour blighting Peterborough.The man in charge of Peterborough's neighbourhood policing, Chief Inspector Kevin Vanterpool, said tackling the problem is at the "heart of local policing".
Chief Insp said police are working more closely with agencies, such as housing associations, than ever before to tackle anti-social behaviour.
He said: "We have looked at this problem city-wide and set up our Neighbourhood Intervention Team. We have weekly meetings with Peterborough City Council, Cross Keys Homes, Accent Nene and other agencies to tackle it.
"Anti-social behaviour can have a massive impact on people's lives from the lowest level, which might be youths hanging around outside elderly people's flats, to people drug dealing next door."
His comments came as police and housing officers yesterday carried out an eviction on a "neighbour from hell" whose behaviour had Orton Malborne residents living in fear.
Police and bailiffs attended a Cross Keys Homes property at Shortfen, Orton Malborne, to evict the tenant - but found she already vacated the house.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "It's about time. During the winter it's bad, but in the summer it was worse, with people shouting outside the house and hanging about.
"You couldn't even let your children play outside, as the "clients" would approach them."
Cross Keys Homes' neighbourhood manager, Becky Marshall, said drug dealing was allegedly taking place at the property and neighbours did not feel safe.
She said the eviction was "a really positive result" and added: "The occupant was causing considerable distress to neighbours, many of whom were too frightened to give a statement and attend court.
"The action taken has been as a result of really great joint partnership working with the police."
Leading the operation, neighbourhood police Sergeant Simon Goldsmith said: "People were coming here to get Class A drugs at all hours and making it hell for their neighbours. Anti-social behaviour and drug dealing will not be tolerated."
The eviction was the seventh Cross Keys Homes have carried out due to anti-social behaviour in the past year.
Anti-social behaviour manager, Gemma Wood, said: "We are committed to improving people's lives and, if this means taking such firm and tough action like eviction against those who try to ruin it for others, then so be it."
A 45-year-old woman is due to appear at Peterborough Magistrates Court for the supply of Class A drugs.
Scene of squalor and filth left at eviction house
BAILIFFS and police were greeted with a scene of squalor when they arrived to carry out the eviction.
The Evening Telegraph toured the house, which had allegedly been used to sell heroin and other class A drugs. Entering the property, the first sight that greeted us was a filthy, matted carpet.
In one room, a spoon used to prepare heroin sat alongside a children's book, while boxes of used needles were placed next to cuddly toys and gardening books – showing the stark contrast between the property's intended use as a family home and the squalid place it had become.
Downstairs, the house was cluttered with discarded items, including vacuum cleaners, a satellite dish and a hospital crutch. In the bedrooms, there was evidence of drug paraphernalia among videos, books and clothes.
On one wall hung a calendar with birthdays marked – while the opposite wall was stained with blood sprays, thought to be from addicts having problems while injecting.
The remaining possessions will now be thrown away and the house cleaned from top-to-bottom to allow a new family to move in. (METP-18-02-10BD106) Picture: BEN DAVIS
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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