Cumbrians have been urged to shop a yob to cut anti-social behaviour - as fears continue over teenage tearaways in one corner of the county.

Crime Commissioner Peter McCall has made the plea for people to come forward with what they know about bad behaviour.

He stressed the need for community information as part of an extra focus by officers on neighbourhood policing following a force revamp.

His calls come as concerns continue in one county town, where police are aiming to tackle problems.

Residents in Wigton have raised concerns over teenagers hurling missiles at cars and climbing across building roofs.

Mr McCall said people should not accept low level problems - and should come forward to contact the force.
Peter McCall, police and crime commissioner for Cumbria

He said: "The chief constable, Jerry Graham, and I absolutely recognise in recent years we have lost some focus on neighbourhood policing.

"We would appeal to communities that we don't accept anti-social behaviour and people should support police by reporting it."

He said there was a need to stop problems developing as they could have a later impact on tackling more serious crime.

"There is a cost to it," added Mr McCall.

"When police are trying to deal with anti-social behaviour they can't concentrate on more serious levels of crime."

Wigton in north Cumbria has been receiving extra attention from the force.

Officers have been deployed in recent months wearing body cameras to capture the behaviour of the culprits.

Dispersal orders have also been issued to move youths on.


Alan Pitcher Alan Pitcher, town and Allerdale councillor and former town mayor, described some of the problems.

"There is all the normal sort of things teenagers will get up to, hanging around street corners and stuff like that," he said.

"That is pretty standard.

"But various elements of the groups have been throwing things at cars and climbing across roofs."

He said cars had been damaged and arson had been carried out.

"They tend, by their number, to intimidate people," he said.

"They have been known to damage the cars in Water Street car park."

He stressed: "It's not all the kids, it's a small element.

"And there are slightly older teenage youths egging them on."

He said sometimes the impression caused led to people feeling intimidated.

"They are not directly picking on people," he said.

"It can be things like not getting out of the way or occupying the full pavement.

"That has caused problems.

"We have had incidents where people say they don't feel safe in Wigton any more.

"Sometimes people won't go to the shops because of people hanging around."

He said there had been various meetings with a number of agencies and people, including the police and crime commissioner.

"This is quite a big problem for Wigton," said Mr Pitcher.

"People say they are stopping coming into town in the evenings because of it.

"My biggest concern is with the leaping on the roofs. At some stage someone is going to fall."

Mr Pitcher said some parents were not aware.

But he added: "There are parents out there that just don't care."

The new neighbourhood policing set up

Police chiefs have revamped neighbourhood policing - providing area inspectors that they say will help tackle lower level community problems.

Responsibilities have been redrawn, with Carlisle, Eden, Allerdale, Copeland, Barrow and the South Lakes patches having their own leader.

Previously in Cumbria, inspectors had responsibility for a wider area geographically, as well as for the patrol side of policing.

They covered areas designated as north, west and south Cumbria.

The force says the dedicated neighbourhood inspectors will allow officers to focus more on community issues and problems.

Police chiefs say the new move provides six additional inspectors across the county.

The inspectors and their patches are:

* Carlisle District - Inspector Andy Hanson

* Eden District - Inspector Gaynor Taylor

* Allerdale District - Inspector Rachel Gale

* Copeland District - Inspector Rachel Jones and Inspector Mark Wear

* Barrow Borough District - Inspector Jim Bailey

* South Lakeland - Inspector Paul Latham