Boys run rampant in Fareham with man punched in face, window smashed and shop staff abused
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Police were forced to issue a dispersal order across the high street due to escalating behaviour
Feckless youths have been smashing private property and have attacked a man in the street during a spate of incidents.
Officers are investigating various incidents on Fareham High Street ranging from assault and criminal damage to escalating anti-social behaviour. Police have had to implement a dispersal order across the surrounding area, including West Street and East Street, to allow emergency personnel to move groups on from a designated region.
It was issued at 3pm on Tuesday afternoon (May 12) and runs until May 14. The most shocking incident involved a man being punched in the face by a boy on the high street. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson said the force received multiple reports following the incident at roughly 5.10pm on April 27.
“Both people subsequently left the area following the incident,” they added. “Officers have launched an investigation and no arrests have been made at the current time.”
Two days before dispersal order powers were enacted, three youths entered a business on the high street and verbally abused a member of staff before leaving the store. Police enquiries are ongoing.
Two instances of criminal damage were also reported to police. The first, which took place between 3pm on May 3 and 9am on May 5, involved smashing a window and destroying plants and furniture. This took place at a property in West Street. A subsequent incident took place at the same address between 3pm on May 5 and 9am on May 6., with plants and furniture again being damaged.
Regarding the criminal damage incidents, the police spokesperson said: “Officers exhausted all available lines of enquiry relating to these matters and the investigations have now been filed pending any further information coming to light. Anyone with any information they believe may support our enquiries into these incidents can contact 101, quoting 44260213993.”
A Section 34 dispersal order enables police to deal with issues of anti-social behaviour, empowering officers to order a person or group to leave an area and not return within the 48 hour period. Failing to comply is a criminal offence and can result in an arrest. Officers from the Fareham’s Neighbourhood Policing Team will be conducting area patrols along the high street and surrounding area.
The spokesperson said: “We are working closely with our partners, including Fareham Borough Council, to tackle anti-social behaviour in this area and members of the Fareham Neighbourhood Policing Team are carrying out regular patrols in these locations. Anybody with any concerns can speak to a uniformed officer.”
Anyone who has information on the following incidents is advised to contact police via 101:
- Assault - 44260197216.
- Verbal abuse towards shop staff - 44260221590
- Criminal damager incidents - 44260210261 and 44260213993