Blitz on youth crime

ARRESTS have been made in a police crackdown on Peacehaven youth crime.

Residents have been plagued by gangs of unruly yobs and under age drinkers who have caused damage and littered play areas with broken glass.

During the Christmas break hooligans ran amok in East Peacehaven resulting in elderly residents being afraid to leave their homes.

New Seahaven Division Inspector Mark Huff is pledged to target anti-social behaviour. Teams of up top 10 officers from Newhaven and Seaford police stations have carried out sweeps of the town and targeted under-age street drinkers and vandals.

So far two youths have been arrested for stealing and another for assault.

Insp Huff said: 'I recognise that these issues have a dramatic impact on the quality of life of residents in Peacehaven. Though criminal damage and nuisance crimes are not Sussex Police priorities, I sympathise with local people about the on-going problems the town is experiencing.

'We do not tolerate criminal activity of any kind and I will deploy my resources as and when I can to ensure that any crime in the sector is avoided.

Before the recent sweeps an average of six complaints each week about youth crime in Peacehaven were received by police. These seemed to be decreasing, said Insp Huff.

He added: 'If we come across youths being disorderly, we will not hesitate to use the full extent of the law whether by arresting them or summonsing their parents and questioning them about their child s behaviour. The main aim of this operation is to reassure the public that we are about and are committed to neighbourhood policing.