Gang runs riot in shop
Wednesday 4th March 2009, 2:57PM GMT.
UP TO 25 teenagers ran riot in the Spar store in Bath Street at the weekend, smashing eggs against the windows.
A worker at the shop, who does not want to be named, said he believed that the youngsters had planned the revenge attack, which happened on Saturday night at about 10 pm, after he had made a citizen’s arrest involving a 15-year-old boy on Friday afternoon.
The teenager had been attempting to steal a litre bottle of vodka from the store at 3 pm when he was apprehended by the employee, who was headbutted and punched in the face.
Despite suffering a broken tooth and having his glasses smashed, the employee held on to the teenager until the police arrived. The employee, who is in his forties, believes that Friday’s incident led to the large group of teenagers coming to his shop on Saturday evening and causing trouble.
Pictured: The Spar store on the corner of Bath Street and Belmont Road which was attacked by teenagers
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And what punishment will the boy get? Nothing, while the adult has to work in fear of these little runts.
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When will the law support victims and not these little trouble makers.
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The boy has his rights and so he should have, he should be allowed to go and beat up some more shop workers and maybe grab a few old ladies as we need to protect our children. Its disgusting behavior who ever decided children needed rights.
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This is Jersey not England.
Name and Shame the teenager involved along with his parents.
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Don’t worry if we find them we’ll slap them on the wrist and send them home to mummy!!!
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Yer man in the shop should be acclaimed as a hero. Town is full of feral youth who act with impugnity. Good on him for holding on to the boy.
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Does the shop have any cctv of the incident? If so, could it be circulated to local headmasters to identify the miscreants?
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I’m only 30 but at the risk of sounding like my grandad…kids have no respect or manners these days!
In fact, that’s not entirely true, some do…in my opinion this behaviour reflects that of their parents!
Fine the parents if you can’t punish the kids!
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I would not be surprised if police try and charge the shop worker for holding a kid against his will.
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I completely agree with everybody’s post here… everyone seems to be in agreement and anyone I EVER speak to feels the exact same way. These kids over here act like they have immunity from the law – because they effectively do. If they cause any trouble there’s no real come back on them and their credibility with their peers increases, which is whats important to them.
If adults stand up to them, they risk getting in trouble with the bored Jersey police who have nothing better to do and derive great pleasure from, prosecuting adults to the full extent of the law without using any discretion because they’ve nothin else to do. Joe Public who probably works in a bank is afraid of standing up to these kids, for fear of getting his name in the paper and losing his job. One day though, one of these gobby kids is goin to be cheeky to the wrong person… then things will come to a head.
It reminds me of the end of ‘City of God’ when the kids take over… except over here their weapon is the politically correct, cowardly, impotent legal and justice system, who are too afraid of infringing on criminals rights, for fear of being sued. Better to gang up on law abiding citizens – cos they’re push overs.
Funny I would never be cheeky to my elders whenI was young, cos I would’ve got a slap – and rightly so.
Let’s teach kids some manners and respect, otherwise our society will end up in ruins in their hands.
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I sooo agree with Jambos comments simply because its 110% pc truth,as i work the nights i can vouch for this comment as all i see is the parents in the pub drinking themselves silly -what a lovely picture for the kids to follow ,BUT this is not new and it will always happen like in the past,change the law and better things will follow,even the police force who i speak to sometimes out and about state that in the end of the day there is not much point as they will all end in mummys arms and the paperwork is just not worth it ,so there back to the same old thanks to out lovely law
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Ahhhh, Jersey, sounds like a delightful, quaint tourist destination !!! Gangs of youths terrorising retail stores in retaliation for the arrest of a fifteen year old fellow thug ,while trying to steal vodka! If this was inner city Birmingham or Glasgow i would be less surprised. I don’t understand what direction the island is taking…………
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I honestly believe those caught should be made to do community service, but with a difference. Dress them in bright pink clothing and advertise in the local press where they will be doing their duties. Public shaming will make them think twice about breakign the law in the future. The legal protection of the young is a pathetic indignation which serves to protect the guilty only. what are we afraid of?
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Trash human rights when they fly in the face of humanity, bring back the birch, and capital punishment.
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Florida bean let me enlighten you.
The islands direction is best illustrated by its flacid upside down bananna.
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Jersey and St. Helier in particular is awash with Chav kids – not what I think of as life enhancing !
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We cannot expect the police to take full responsibility for controlling wayward youngsters. The parents should be heavily fined and the teenager made to complete community service.
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Mark G states this is Jersey not England.Let me relate a tale of what happened in a village near where I live in England.A man heard noises in the middle of the night and got up to investigate.Two youths had knocked over a greeen bin full of garden rubbish which was out for collection the next morning.The grass cuttings were strewn all over the place.The man dressed quickly,ran downstairs and outside,chased and caught the youths.He demanded that they clear up the mess and then frogmarched them home to face their parents who dealt with them accordingly.Good old fashioned village ways-shame that Jersey does not have that community feeling any more but then that’s probably because it is more like an inner city these days and people are scared of their youth population.
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Jersey – Europe witthout the Euro*
*but we’ve still got the chavs, sorry.
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#13~ I agree,we are afraid of our youngsters and its very sad.I have recently moved out of St Helier after some time living there and would not walk through town at night and all because of an incident which did frighten me.
On our way back from the cinema one evening and walking past a well known burger bar my husband and I were verbally abused and intimidated by a gang of youngsters aged about 13-15 who were just hanging about the streets. We did think of speaking to them about their behaviour but decided against it for fear of being physically assaulted or worse.
There wasnt even a police presence in sight to move them on their way.
Parents must take more responsibility for knowing where their youngsters are and the culprits must be punished accordingly.
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Things had better change with the law and young trouble makers. If the population increases like the politicians want. Incidents like this will continue to get worse. Children and politicans are the most powerful people in the world. The untouchables. Some are selfish and hav’nt got a clue what their doing to the community.
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bring back borstol
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Solitary confinement in a cell for a week for the lot of them! Should sort out the problem, oh, and educating the parents on actual parenting while the kids are in the cells (without TVs, Playstations, iPods etc)!
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the youth of today may already think it has no future , cost of a house, jobs going to outsiders, and generaly over looked by the goverment.
same when iwas a teen and nothing has changed
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It’s a sign of the times. Good for the shopkeeper holding onto the ruffian! I have often seen youngsters kicking soccer balls in King Street after most of the shoppers have gone home. They have no respect for other people’s property. The ball often whacks onto shop windows. No wonder some of the shop windows show signs of the evening soccer “match” with expensive cracks. Who monitors the cameras mounted on the buildings of King Street? No action ever appears to take place to stop King Street becoming a soccer stadium!
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Hear Hear ‘PJG’! (Message 14).
Let us have no talk of providing youth clubs or other facilities or any other such wishy-washy liberal nonsense It is high time the island’s younger generation were taught to respect, obey – and if necessary – fear authority and rule of law.
I suggest the authorities enact immediately a curfew between the hours of 7am and 7pm during weekdays, and 6pm and 8am at the weekend for all under 18s.
I would also argue that on Friday afternoons, before they are set free for the weekend, schoolchildren be assembled at a place such as Westmount to watch that week’s worst offenders be publicly flogged until they beg for mercy.
Furthermore, as the individuals involved in this particular incident are clearly of degenerate stock, they, their parents and their siblings should be forcibly sterilised in order to prevent them begetting future generations of miscreants.
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Boris, I like your post!
Anyway hi, Im a 19 year old full time worker in Jersey and even I think I sound old saying this but the kids of today have NO RESPECT for adults what-so-ever. I thought this sort of behaviour only kicked in when the kids hit secondary school where reputation to them was important but I see youngers as little as 7 or 8 years old swearing their mouths off at adults passing by.
I have always been brought up to respect adults and behave myself well infront of others, isn’t this how most parents are supposed to teach their young? I wouldn’t dream of doing or saying some of the things these teens say to elders these days. I’m ashamed to even still be classed a teenager and be dropped into this “youths” category as I know 110% I am not like them.
And the kids’ excuses? There’s nothing else better to do in Jersey. On their side, they’re actually right. They just closed down the old ODEON so that’s another activity out the window for them. Money is tight so their parents won’t hand out. They can’t get jobs so they’re resorting to stealing and causing trouble. I agree with naming and shaming as this shouldn’t be happening. But give the kids something better to do that isn’t so damned expensive and punish them properly! They won’t learn otherwise!
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There was an equally serious incident around the Waterfront and Elizabeth Marina on Friday Night.
Marina staff spent most of Saturday telephoning boat owners informing them that their boats had been damaged by a very large group of vandals running riot in the area. They say police were running a crime scene investigation.
I can’t believe the papers haven’t report it. Perhaps they’re afraid of scaring people out of town?
I walk though town most nights while I’m over here and there are considerable numbers of youths being loud and obnoxious (as youths can be) but more sinister is the provocative nature being adopted by some of them. Clearly looking for a reaction and to escalate things into who knows what.
Meanwhile, having a drink in local bar last Thursdays, three men (just out of youth-hood, but still in hoodies) began staring at me and then crowded round me. When they saw a nearby bouncer, they said, we’ll get you outside. I told the bouncer about the threat and asked what I could do about it, he replied, “what you do when you’re not in my bar is your own business”. Thanks for that.
Nice place you have here…
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JerseyK, hanging out round at a friend’s house needn’t be expensive and that’s what my mates and I did. Mind you we all got on with each other’s parents and would chat to them as well so we were always welcome.
If parents won’t let their kids have their friends around of an evening there are usually two reasons why:
1. they should never have had kids in the first place because in reality they only wanted a well-behaved one or preferably a cute baby (not a teenager!
2. their kid and their kids’ friends are horrible little brats, in which case the parents should have raised their kids better.
Jersey, with a relatively low crime rate, has the opportunity that other places no longer have, that’s to get this problem sorted in the early stages. The States would be mad not to take the opportunity!
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So what are the police going to do about that’s right they can’t be bothered with all the paper just give them a warning and send them home,I feel the parents and the child should be put on a course on how to respect people and to know right from wrong but the cops over here just can’t be bothered, there never a police man or woman around when you need them and when you ring for assistance you are told there are not units available at this time, am I paying my taxes for a laugh or what……….Police force is very slack over here and they need to get a grip and get Jersey back to being a safe place to live……
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Snow hill the kids 15 to 17 drinking and smoking being outragously rude to passers by, where are the police when this is going on . and they know that Snow Hill a bad area ..on a tea break or are they afraid to approach these young ones…they are so cheeky and rude they need to be punished for their behaviour…be like USA zero tolerance…bring back national service for both genders.
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These kids need to wear pink and do publicly displayed community service and the police need to get off their backsides and take action on them instead of waiting for them to do something REALLY wrong
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We can go on about this and other incidents ‘till we are blue in the face. The public needs to make a stand.
As per my post under “Vandals strike at Elizabeth Marina”, we the citizens of Jersey need to take the authorities to task and demand a plan of action on their tackling of youth crime.
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Well from old experiences I used to have friends round my house all the time, then my dad noticed things started to go missing.
To think my own so-called friends would even consider stealing from my parents makes me sick.
Now I’m even more careful about who I let into my house whether they are friends or not. I don’t know if this is the reason for other parents and why they don’t let their children’s friends in their homes or not but I guess the kids today want to be outdoor’s doing things.
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I am sure that St Helier residents are going to feel a lot more strongly on this matter than the rest of the island’s inhabitants however I do think some of the comments here are unfair to Jersey. I live on the outskirts of town (walking distance), still leave my house unlocked in the day time same as my neibours and usually park my car all weekend with the roof down in the summer where ever I go and not once have I ever been affected by these horrors and yet had my car broken into on my first night on holiday last year in Poole!
I do agree that the young people of St Helier do in general have attitude issues that come from a lack of respect, probably because they do know they will get away with it with is wrong.
What we should not forget is that compared with any UK or Euro town or city we are must more safe and secure, you only need to open your eyes as you walk around and you realise that there is hardly any houses with burgular alarms sticking horribly from them!
I would like two answers from people though…
1. People always claim that it is partially the communities fault for not supplying the youths with anything to do. Can you PLEASE tell me, what exactly you can do in another town that you cannot in Jersey?
2. Why do we allow the police to get away with not policing the situations and why when there is an issue are they so unwilling to help?
Surely we should be gathering in the Royal Square with our signs asking the Sates this question oh no but we won’t because it isn’t anything to do with tax or money seemingly the only things that can get any ‘community’ spirit going!
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I retired from the States of Jersey Police eight years ago, when I reached the age of 50. I now live in the U.K. where policing is a lot worse that what I recall in the Island. Many of the cops here have little knowledge of the law or how to enforce it – a recent British Crime Survey report, shows that less than 50% of people have confidence that the police can prevent public disorder or detect crime. They say that failing to plan, is planning to fail -what planning have my former colleagues got in place, to combat the disorder that is outlined in this news article? The police in the County Town where I live, were handing out fruit smoothies to the rowdy elements over the last week end. Then a few weeks ago the Police Community Support Officers were handing bottles of water and baloons to the drunks – has the world gone mad? What is required is a bit of old fashioned ‘Zero Tolerance’. Come on SJoP show the public that the organisation is a Force to be reckoned with – Oh, I forgot it is no longer a Force, it is a service. Balderdash!
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JULIE (comment 18) I hear what you are saying, but look at what happened to Gary Newlove who was kicked to death in front of his family for challenging a gang of youths.
when I googled this earlier, I was shcocked at how many other similar stories there were.
Whilst highly courageous for taking such an action as decribed in Julie’s village, I for one, would certainly not take risks. That’s not being a coward or lacking community spirit, I just don’t fancy a knife plunged into my chest.
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I have to admit I don’t believe it’s the Police at fault so much as politicians. Thankfully Jersey doesn’t have to follow the EU so can sensibly punish children without being hauled up and told to buy them holidays to Disneyland instead! Politicians need to give the Police back the power to do their job effectively.
On saying that, one Friday night while walking through town there were two cops in front of us. As we approached the road crossing next to BHS it was clear that there were some youths up ahead causing a lot of nuisance to both property and people. I was delighted, for once, that the Police were there to see it, BUT…
they turned right and went up the other street!
There is no way they could have missed what these youths were up to and they clearly didn’t have anything else going on given the speed of their walking.
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#35
1) It really is just an excuse, often from parents who just can’t be bothered with their own kids being around the house and prefer them to be out with ‘something to do’. Exercise and study should be taking up part of their free time anyway!
2) Politics I suspect. But then again, some Police probably joined the force hoping to fight ‘real crime’ and find this aspect of the job a bit of a drag.
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Big Bean (no 37) I understand what you are saying and I personally would never advise tackling a gang of youths as the man I knew of did.However I get so tired of some people in Jersey assuming and commenting that everything in the UK is bad and unsafe so my point was to illustrate how some parts of England still remain rather pleasant and quaint which I love about living where I do now (after a lifetime in Jersey)
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It about time children were taught respect for their elders, and if they cant then yes community service dressed in Pink and named and shamed. Lets take a leaf out of a certain Marshal in USA and as for locked up in a cell no not a cell a wooden shed with just disney channel and the weather channel to watch I mean they do have to know what the weather will be like when they are out on the cliff paths and places doing their community service !
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I’m shocked at what Leah Holmes reports re her witnessing the police sauntering off and leaving youngsters to carry on being a public nuisance. This is exactly why the youth become brazen because nobody is putting them in their place! It appears that the ruffians are the law making ordinary folk nervous!
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‘The man dressed quickly,ran downstairs and outside,chased and caught the youths.He demanded that they clear up the mess and then frogmarched them home to face their parents who dealt with them accordingly.’
What part of idealistic England did you go to!? Like in Jersey, the law is on the side of the youth and they wreck havoc across the country and get away with it. The case you decsribe is certainly in a minority as usually the kids end up badly hurting the person who tries to stop them.
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The thing is – if you even talk to these kids they either a) attack you, b) insult you or c) call the police and get you arrested for harassment!
Julie’s comment number 18 made me laugh – you can’t raise your hand to any child misbehaving for fear of being arrested and losing my job.
I grew up in Birmingham and I can safely say that in the last 10 years Jersey has become worse than the area I grew up in… and it’s terribly sad.
Bring back punishment in school! That way it’s regulated and monitored and also effective!
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The police are supposed to prevent crime, not react to it. If they cannot prevent these events happening then what are they supposded to be doing. Why are you paying money for a police force (sorry service) which does nothing?
I live in the UK and hate it. I love Jersey. Why are the authorities making Jersey more like the UK?
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bring back the birch!!!!!!!!!!!
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Blame the parents? okay, let go full hog and blame the parents of the parents and so on and while we are at it lets blame the teachers as well, the kids spend more time with them at school than with the parents.
I am afraid it is a sign of the times but as usual it is the few who do wrong that create a label for all.
Do not forget the several thousand youngsters who are law abiding and are members of youth clubs, scouting, sea cadets, air cadets, young farmers, fishing, football clubs and the many other orginisations that are still operating in Jersey. They are your future, look after them and eventualy they will look after you.
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Ouch, I wish it was a one-off…
We walked to our office after midnight last night to get something for a meeting this morning and there was clearly a lot of drunken noise coming from somewhere that could easily be heard in our residential area. As it happened where we were heading took us past it but again we saw 2 cops out on the street who were originally closer to it but didn’t bother to walk in that direction to investigate.
As it turns out it was ‘harmless’ drunken louts but we only knew that once we passed it.
I have to admit that in Glasgow I have seen Police pick up on what’s happening up ahead or hear a commotion and head towards it quickly but that doesn’t seem to happen here.
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Nick (no 43) sorry I don’t want to disclose where I now live for obvious reasons but I consider myself very fortunate in having found such a good environment with great community spirit and a genuine caring attitude amongst the residents.
I agree with Bean (no 47)we should appreciate the majority of youngsters who are decent kids with bright futures ahead of them.
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Re: Leah’s comment at 48 – as Victor Meldrew would say, “I don’t believe it!” Cops heading away from a disturbance; that would never have occurred years ago.The majority of the officers I knew were very pro active and always keen to detect crime, prevent disorder and help people. I still believe there are lot of quality officers in the SJoP, maybe it’s just the leadership that is lacking. Years ago you’d see Inspectors, Chief Inspectors and yes even the Chief Officer, out on the street leading from the front….lets see them regain their reputation as Force to be reckoned with.
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Its not “ALL” kids
Its the minority who are thugs and hooligans, ask any policeman he can probably reel off the 30 or so who are always causing trouble from his recent memory.
OK, the bleeding hearts are probably right about most offenders, the light touch will have a good effect on putting them back in society as a decent human being.
BUT this minority are a lost cause, they commit their thuggery with impunity, they have no sense of shame and laugh at society. The police are basically powerless what’s the use in spending manpower catching and presenting a case before a judge if “uman rites” dictates give them a holiday in France, (time after time) and see if they respond.
Give them 3 a strikes and your out rule. Out of the human rights umbrella. It would be their choice to change their ways or accept the consequences. Put them in solitary confinement, Lock them up, Birch them , Take them away from their families whatever draconian measure is necessary.
The population of Jersey (except maybe a few of our politicians )does not deserve or need to be terrorised by this small group of incorrigible offspring.
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I have to say that I was amazed, during my first visit ever to Jersey last year, at the youth problems you tolerate. It is even worse than on the mainland. I have never seen such a large number of drunk and out of control 12 year olds. I would have thought you could do something about it over there, being such a small island. Why does nobody take a stand? The UK is ruined but you at least have a chance to change things there if you demand it! I certainly will not be visiting St.Helier again.
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The decline started when “beans” came on the island scene. If Crapauds had behaved in this manner they would have ended up in the the Boys Home or sent away to Borstal or the services.
The less troublesome confined their activities to hanging around the King Street entrance to Woolies, moving on as they grew old to sit on benches at Charing Cross and the Parade.
Yobbos, take a lesson from those guys. Keep your heads down and you will eventually blend in with the many upright citizens.
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I’d like to comment on Parker’s entry at 52. The cops where I live in the U.K.,also let youths get away with all sorts of things. As I said in a previous submission, last week end they were handing out fruit smoothies to the yobs causing problems in a local park. And before that they were in the town handing out water and baloons to the drunks….can’t the senior officers see that what the public want is action? These out of control youths and drunks need to be brought to heel and quickly.
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Parker – we don’t take a stand out of fear…
in Jersey it is not what you know but who and if you try to make a stand they’ll hit you and if you defend yourselves these kids go to the police and their parents saying you’ve hit them…and of course because most of them are under 18 – you end up having to pay a hefty fine and be treated like a criminal…
time to take these rights away from kids and punish lesser crimes more – i mean you get caught smoking cannabis and you’re in jail for 2 years… you physically assault someone and you get a fine – what the hell is going on?
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ZBD, I suspect it’s because they know that at the end of the day the legal system won’t take it any further because they’re kids! I don’t totally blame the cops since the very system they are part of emasculates them time and time again.
Bean #47, I don’t believe it works like that, but it’s a good argument for anyone wanting to shirk responsibility for their kids. My parents are great, they raised me to be respectful to people and property and it simply wouldn’t cross my mind to vandalise property or attack a person, it’s second nature to me that this is wrong. Respect is a trait that you learn before you’re even old enough to realise it, it’s just in you (or not in some cases) because you were raised properly from the day dot. I won’t necessarily be a good parent myself, but if I end up raising a horrible child it will be my fault, not my parents!
There are some genuinely problem kids out there who need professional help, but most just haven’t been raised in an environment that teaches respect (for themselves or others). Mind you, so few adults show respect to authority figures these days that it’s not surprising!
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