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Police seize a haul of booze from teens
3:16pm Thursday 17th April 2008
Comments (4)POLICE seized more than 100 cans and bottles of alcohol in Calne on the first day of the school holidays.
Officers swooped on gangs of boozing teenagers on the recreation ground and confiscated alcopops and lager.
Police stepped up patrols in trouble spots in a crackdown on rowdy behaviour.
The town has a blanket outdoor booze ban that states if officers spot under-age people drinking, they have the power to seize drink and destroy it.
But Calne police pour the booze down the drain in front of the illegal drinkers.
Sgt Mark Rees, said: "Pouring alcohol away in front of the youths effectively reinforces the idea they have wasted their money and the pointlessness of drinking.
"At around 7pm on Friday we spotted a group of youths in the park and went to go and question them.
"They disappeared, but officers returned later and found cans of lager, cider, bottles of alcopops and a bottle of vodka.
"We poured the alcohol away and disposed of the containers.
"There were no reports of anti-social behaviour during the evening because we acted swiftly and seized the main cause of the problem.
"It is a concern of the police where these young people are obtaining their alcohol from and we are making enquiries into this.
"We understand it is difficult for licensees if older people are buying the alcohol for people under age but this is still an offence."
During the rest of the holidays police noticed a drop in anti-social behaviour on the streets.
Calne town centre is also subject to a dispersal order, meaning police can ask gangs of teenagers to leave the area if they are causing distress or alarm to passers- by.
During the last school holiday, Wiltshire police launched Operation Embargo in which officers successfully seized a large quantity of alcohol from drinking teens. They targeted Chippenham, Calne, Melksham and Corsham.
If you have any information on anti-social behaviour in Calne, contact the police on 0845 408 7000.
Your Say YourThe Wiltshire Gazette and Herald
Joe, Calne says...
10:19pm Fri 18 Apr 08
donteventhinkit, Calne says...
6:38pm Sun 27 Apr 08
George27 wrote:you obviously know who they are why dont you give them a list.
Glad to see that they are sorting out some of the problems in the town. All they need to do now is catch the older ones that buy/steal the alcohol for the rest of the little *hits, and try and stop the drug dealing that goes on in the town, most are under 25 years old, selling to kids as young as 11. And yes, the police do know who some of them are.
George27, calne says...
9:59am Tue 29 Apr 08
donteventhinkit wrote:Why don't I give them a list? "The police know who some of them are", but as usual are hampered by the legal system in obtaining enough evidence to convict the little sh*ts, other than actually catching them in the act. Personally I would name and shame them all, but you cannot, for so called legal reasons.
George27 wrote: Glad to see that they are sorting out some of the problems in the town. All they need to do now is catch the older ones that buy/steal the alcohol for the rest of the little *hits, and try and stop the drug dealing that goes on in the town, most are under 25 years old, selling to kids as young as 11. And yes, the police do know who some of them are.you obviously know who they are why dont you give them a list.
Community Support Officer Mark Braithwaite is one of those combating the growing problem of youth drinking
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George27, calne says...
9:14pm Thu 17 Apr 08