Published date: 10 February 2016 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
POLICE, firefighters and councillors have made an impassioned plea for help from residents on an estate blighted by arsonists.
Following a spate of arson attacks in Caia Park - particularly in the Pentre Gwyn, Tan y Coed and Coed y Bryn area – a public meeting was held to address the issue before “someone gets hurt.”
Frightened residents voiced their fears and concerns to North Wales Police.
The meeting, which was held at Pentre Gwyn Community Centre, was organised by Councillor Brian Cameron and was also attended by North Wales Fire Service, Wrexham Council’s housing service, the partnership youth service and Communities First, along with lead member for communities and partnerships, Cllr Hugh Jones.
Cllr Cameron opened the meeting, and said: “I called this meeting having spoken to many residents in the area about the arson attacks and anti-social behaviour.
“I want to bring these perpetrators to justice and the people who can help us are yourselves. You know who is causing anti-social behaviour. People tell me they know who they are but are frightened to come forward. We want to help but we need your help.”
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s community safety manager for Wrexham and Flintshire, Paul Scott, also asked for the community’s help.
He said there has been a “significant” number of arson attacks in the Caia area and vehicle fires “seemed to be a trend.”
“Wrexham has the highest number of vehicle fires in North Wales,” he said. “If people have information, or know who is responsible, they must start coming forward.”
But one resident at the meeting on Monday said people were too scared to come forward “because of the repercussions.”
She said: “They throw things at your windows. If they see you get a knock at the door from police officers they break your windows – it’s terrifying. I’ve seen four bungalows with OAPs in with no windows – that’s disgusting.”
There have been 55 cases of arson in the area in the past 12 months.
Last month, The Venture, a children’s play area on Garden Road, was left “damaged beyond repair” after it was torched by arsonists.
The construction of the play area’s castle had been a 15-year community effort, with local youths pitching in to help. It is expected to cost more than £30,000 to replace.
Cars, wheelie bins and a marked police car have all been deliberately set ablaze in the area over recent months.
Acting town inspector Steve Owens, of North Wales Police, has worked in Caia Park for 15 years.
“Historically, police find it difficult to engage with people in Caia,” he said. “Calls to police are minimal. We recently carried out a leaflet drop in Pentre Gwyn and hand-delivered leaflets asking people to make contact – we’ve not had a single call.
“In the past 12 months we’ve had 51 calls about anti-social behaviour – 32 in Pentre Gwyn and 19 in Tan y Coed.
“We want to respond to people’s concerns but the contact we’ve had does not suggest there is a problem. It is difficult for us to allocate staff where there is no perceived problem.”
Addressing residents’ concerns, he added: “People can call Crimestoppers anonymously – there is absolutely no way we can trace the call back to you and it is a million per cent confidential.
“If people call us to report a problem and don’t want us to visit, we won’t visit.”
Cllr Jones assured residents that even given anonymously, police could use information from the public to act.
“The council has mobile CCTV cameras it is capable of using day or night,” he said. “The camera gets the evidence, so you don’t need to worry about proof. If you pass on the information the camera can be deployed and used to get evidence. But we need your help and intelligence.”
Mr Owens added: “On the 22nd of this month we will have three more officers in Caia, as well as the PCSOs we already have, which brings the number of staff to 11.
“You give us the starting point and I will put all 11 in one area if I need to. You give us the starting point and we will prove it. There are many covert tactics we can use.”
Cllr Cameron added: “I know people are frightened and it’s difficult, but if these people are not stopped, someone is going to get seriously hurt and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.”
At the meeting, resident Peter Kimani, pastor at Oasis of Life church in Pentre Gwyn, spoke of his own experience of arson.
He said: “My car was set on fire. In December they smashed the windows and in January they burnt it completely. Sometimes the people doing these things don’t have the sense of impact their actions have on the victim.
“As we defend our children here tonight, let them know that it is very costly. It might be fun, but it is a very painful thing. When it’s you it is not fun. Don’t just defend your children, tell them to stop doing it. Tell them, ‘what you’re doing is painful, don’t do it.’
“I want to commend the police because although we went through that experience, they came out, spoke with me and my family and told my children they would be safe.
“The time has come for us to stand up as against this evil. These past six months have been horrible.
“We need to rise up as a community and teach our children it’s good to be good, and bad to be horrible.”
Anyone with any information regarding the arson attacks can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/158380/caia-park-residents-told-to-stand-up-against-this-evil-after-55-arson-attacks-last-year.aspx
No comments:
Post a Comment