South Tyneside residents say anti-social behaviour is leaving communities fearful
© OpenStreetMap © Geoapify
Residents in South Tyneside have described feeling intimidated and increasingly frustrated by anti-social behaviour and crime, with some telling the BBC that they believe offenders have little fear of the consequences.
BBC News has reported concerns from residents across the area about groups of youths, nuisance involving e-bikes and e-motorbikes, criminal damage and disorder in public places.
One East Boldon family described how their van was attacked with an axe outside their home, with the incident captured on a doorbell camera. They told the BBC that the experience had left them fearful and frustrated and had even caused them to consider moving away from South Tyneside.
Elsewhere, residents raised concerns about disorder around South Shields town centre and its bus and Metro interchange. Some said that the problems were discouraging people, particularly older residents, from visiting the area.
The scale of local concern has also prompted residents to organise online. According to the BBC, a social media group established to highlight anti-social behaviour attracted more than 2,000 members in just four weeks.
Its founder, Mark Berriman, told the BBC that some residents had stopped reporting incidents because they felt previous reports had not resulted in action. The group is encouraging people to continue submitting information and footage to the police and council.
Northumbria Police says it is working with local authorities to tackle the problems and has a dedicated taskforce operating across South Tyneside and Sunderland. Measures include patrols, operations targeting illegal or nuisance use of powered bikes, specially trained roads policing officers and the potential use of drones, air support and DNA marking spray.
South Tyneside Council has also said it has stepped up activity in key hotspot areas and urged residents to continue reporting incidents through the appropriate channels so they can be logged, investigated and acted upon.
That message matters. When people become frustrated and stop reporting anti-social behaviour, authorities can lose sight of its true scale, frequency and impact on a community.
Experiencing anti-social behaviour where you live?
If persistent anti-social behaviour is affecting your neighbourhood, don’t give up on reporting it.
FixASB helps residents record what is happening, build a clearer picture of recurring problems and demonstrate the impact on their community.
Report the anti-social behaviour affecting your area with FixASB and add your voice to the case for action.
