Police column: Success dealing with anti-social behaviour and a crack down on cannabis

Sep 19 2012 by Jo Kelly, Heswall News

I am Inspector Mike Barrett, the Neighbourhood Inspector for East Wallasey, covering Seacombe, Liscard and New Brighton.

It is my responsibility to seek solutions to crime or anti-social behaviour issues within the neighbourhood.

During the summer holidays we increased patrols in our parks and open spaces to reassure the public and to prevent and detect crime.

As a result, I am pleased to say that crime and anti-social behaviour continues to fall within the neighbourhood and the holidays passed peacefully.

We currently have an operation in place to target the theft of motorcycles and scooters. If you own such a vehicle ensure it is securely locked and where possible kept out of sight to prevent opportunistic theft.

We are occasionally seeing youths using these types of bikes anti-socially in local parks. This is clearly unacceptable and could be dangerous to pedestrians.

If you see youngsters acting in this manner please let us know so we can take action.

We have had a lot of success recently finding and closing down cannabis factories.

Cannabis is not the harmless drug it has historically been portrayed to be and Merseyside Police takes robust action to take those involved in the trade out of business and see them put behind bars.

Criminals are making a lot of money from such enterprises. Many of the set-ups are also fire hazards due to dangerous wiring and abstraction of electricity.

With the increase we are seeing in smaller farms, often found in just one room of a property or in rental properties, there is a real danger to the public.

Cannabis has a very distinctive pungent smell and I would urge any person with information relating to cannabis growing, drug dealing, or any crime, to contact us on 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.