Six teenagers arrested as police crackdown on anti-social behaviour in South Shields

In February, especially during half-term, officers were made aware of various phone boxes and ATM machines being smashed in South Shields, while a group of teenagers were reported to be causing disorder at South Shields Interchange and Chichester Metro station.

Following a spike in incidents, neighbourhood officers launched Operation Capri with the support of South Tyneside Council and metro-operator Nexus in an effort to identify those responsible.

As a result, six suspects aged between 13 and 15-years-old have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and vandalism offences.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with criminal damage and will appear in court later this month.

Conditional cautions have been given to a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, while three other suspects remain under investigation.

The operation has been hailed a success, with youth-related anti-social behaviour in the hardest-hit areas of the town down by 47%

Chief Inspector Neil Hall, of Northumbria Police, said: “The overwhelming majority of young people are an absolute credit to themselves and the local area, but we know the anti-social behaviour of a small few can have a significant effect on the communities we serve.

“The behaviour of a small number of offenders during February half term was totally unacceptable, and that’s why it was imperative we launched a coordinated operation to combat this disorder and ensure it did not happen again.

“Since then, with the support of the council, businesses and Nexus, we have been able to identify a number of ringleaders suspected to have been behind the damage – and we are committed to ensuring anyone involved is dealt with appropriately.

“What we have seen since the launch of Operation Capri is incredibly encouraging. Working with partners and the public is crucial to effectively tackling anti-social behaviour – and I am delighted with the progress that has already been achieved.

"However, we won’t rest on our laurels and will be looking to maintain this positive momentum over the coming weeks and months.”

Councillor Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Area Management and Community Safety at South Tyneside Council, expressed his delight at the work that has been carried out to reduce anti-social behaviour incidents.

He commented: “We know that most of our young people are respectful of their communities. However, there is still a small minority that act in an anti-social manner, causing disruption and damage.

“The reckless destruction of the town centre in February was particularly concerning and we are delighted to see that the collaborative work across the Borough has prevented a reoccurrence of this sort of criminal behaviour.

“The fall in incidents is extremely positive news. However, we are not complacent and will continue to work closely with our community safety partners to crackdown on anti-social behaviour across South Tyneside.”

If you are the victim of anti-social behaviour or have any concerns in your area, always report it via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101.