THE town centre is being plagued by teenagers who are threatening shop workers and throwing stink bombs inside busy stores.
Police officers are now focusing their efforts on patrolling the streets and shops on busy Saturdays and during the week after school. And the police have warned that they are taking the matter so seriously that they may prosecute unruly teenagers unless they do not curb their bad behaviour.
Chief Inspector André Bonjour met the town centre manager, Richard Mackenzie, and other retailers last week to discuss the problems. The news comes just a week after a gang of 20 or more teenagers ran riot in the Spar store in Bath Street. This is thought to have been sparked after an employee was badly beaten for making a citizen’s arrest on a 15-year-old boy who tried to steal a litre bottle of vodka during the middle of the day.
Over the past few weeks the number of complaints about disorderly behaviour in town has soared.
It is understood that many retailers have been threatened and sworn at and have had stink bombs thrown through their doors.
Pictured: Ross Donaldson with one of the radios town stores use to keep each other informed about shoplifters. They are not, however, as effective against unruly behaviour
