Thames Valley Police post signs in Thatcham Broadway as antisocial behaviour rises

Antisocial behaviour has been on the rise in Thatcham according to Thames Valley Police.

Police said in a statement on social media on November 16 that there had been an increase “over the past few weeks” with recent incidents being reported from as early as mid-September.

As a result, the Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team has now erected antisocial behaviour signs in The Broadway.

These signs have been put up as a part of an ongoing “problem solving” operation in the area following the increasing number of reports.

The Thatcham Town Council recreation and amenities committee met on Monday (November 22) and also heard of the various accounts of recorded antisocial behaviour in the area.

The meeting was told that used needles were found in The Broadway on September 19, between McColls and Lloyds pharmacy. A member of the public called Thames Valley Police after seeing the “dirty” needles, and it was then requested that someone facilitated the clear up of the discarded objects. It was then passed on to the Services Team.

On October 11, an incident of antisocial behaviour was reported to councillor Jeremy Cottam at the playground on Mount Road, for which a meeting is being arranged with the police.

Mr Cottam (Lib Dem, Thatcham North East) said that the council has been working with organisation RMD, who have deployed detached youth workers in the area to support young people who engage in anti-social behaviours.

He said: “They are starting to make headway contacting young people to help them, to get them more involved and create activities that engage them.”

He added: “We are not sitting back, we are being proactive.”

On October 25, at the Dunstan Green skate park on Harts Hill Road, there was an account of antisocial behaviour and bullying, councillors were told.

A report, received via social media, detailed the account of a mother who witnessed the bullying of two other young children aged around five and nine.

The mother saw a large group of boys, around 12 years old, calling the young children names, using expletives, and grabbing and yelling at the young girl. The mother explained how she told them to tone down their language but claimed they continued to play obscene music.

The mother then saw the group of boys and the young girl collide and said that the “gang of lads gathered around while the boy who landed on her pushed her head into the ground and shouted at her for being in the way”.

The woman separated them and walked the two young children home. Local police were called in this instance and youth workers have since been requested to focus their sessions at the skate park.

A residential area in Thatcham saw an incident on October 29 in which one of the residents in the area made a complaint about their anti-social neighbours, the meeting also heard.

The issue has been reported to the police and to Sovereign housing association.

Mr Cottam asked residents who see any anti-social behaviour in the town to report it to the council via telephone or email; the details of which can be found on the council’s website.

Thames Valley Police has been contacted for more information on above incidents.