POLICE are considering taking out anti-social behaviour orders against five teenagers in Upper Stratton.

The youths, who are all 16, have been identified as being at the centre of a gang which is targeting a newsagent and off-licence store in Meadowcroft.

Shopkeeper Suketu Patel says the yobs are ruining his trade by driving customers away.

He claims customers are too afraid to come into the store, called Meadowcroft Express, in the evenings, when the teenagers gather outside.

He also claims the police are sometimes slow to respond, although the force says it has to prioritise calls.

But now officers are planning a crackdown.

Inspector Bill Halsey said officers were currently gathering evidence with a view to applying for the orders.

As an initial step, officers have been speaking to the youths and their parents. But if the problems persist, they will press ahead with the ASBOs.

The orders can impose restrictions such as curfews, and ban offenders from specified areas including parks and play areas.

Last summer, the force successfully applied for an ASBO its first against a teenage boy from Highworth who had terrorised his neighbourhood. He cannot be named for legal reasons.

Insp Halsey said: "We are currently taking witness statements from people who have information about the individuals responsible for the current incidents of bad behaviour in the area.

"This is having an impact on the overall quality of life."

Mr Patel's problems escalated two weeks ago, and over the past week he and his wife, Sangita, have been forced to call the police every day.

He said: "Up to 30 teenagers aged between around 16 and 19 gather outside the shop, and when customers try to come in they just block the door. It is harming my profits.

"Customers don't come in after 6pm anymore. The police take half-an-hour to get here, and once they are gone the youths come back.

"The abuse is not racial, but it is very intimidating."

He says the police have been slow to respond to calls for help. On Tuesday, it took officers seven hours to arrive.

Mrs Patel, 34, was running the store on her own when two teenagers entered and starting swearing at her.

The police were called at 12.30pm, but no-one arrived until 7.30pm.

"We are not being protected by the law," said Mrs Patel.

"We pay our taxes, but we get no protection."

On another occasion Mrs Patel's mother Manjula, 67, called the police.

"I was told there were not enough police officers to help," she said.

Insp Halsey said officers always tried to respond to calls as quickly as possible.

"It is a fact of life that we have to prioritise our work," he added.

The Patels took over the business in November after moving to Swindon from London to be closer to their relatives.

The couple believe they are being targeted because they refuse to sell alcohol and cigarettes to underage children.

They spoke out after reading about similar problems in Walcot, which were reported in Monday's Adver.

They have received a lot of support from local residents.

One, Robbie Ayres, 48, of Pinnocks Place, has started a petition to get more police patrols in the area, and said: "The police know who the ringleaders are."

Law-abiding local teenagers said they backed the police action as they found the youths intimidating.

One 15-year-old girl said: "I think those teenagers are disgusting. The shopkeeper is really nice and the police should do something."

A 14-year-old boy said: "Lots of my friends are scared of them. One boy who was doing a paper round quit because they beat him up."

A 16-year-old girl added: "I don't go in the shop on my own because of the gang."