Youngsters banned from Irthlingborough store after half-term trouble

Banning letters have been issued after the youths were identified using CCTV footage
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A group of youngsters who spent their half-term causing trouble have been banned from an Irthlingborough shop.

Action has been taken after reports of youngsters aged between 10 and 14 acting anti-socially in and around the Co-op in Church Street, Irthlingborough, during the recent half-term break.

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Police say there were reports of shoplifting, youngsters running in and out of the store intimidating members of the public, and knocking items off the shelves.

Police have taken action after reports of anti-social behaviour during half-termPolice have taken action after reports of anti-social behaviour during half-term
Police have taken action after reports of anti-social behaviour during half-term

A spokesman for Northants Police said: "We identified them using CCTV and visited their parents to present them with banning letters, which means they can’t go into the Co-op anymore."

A tweet from the East Northants Police Team said the parents they had spoken to had been supportive of the action taken.

The tweet read: "With the help of town and business CCTV, I spent yesterday visiting youths and parents in relation to anti-social behaviour in Irthlingborough, parents all very supportive of action.

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"Banning notices for Co-op issued, shops and witnesses visited, statements taken for further action."

A spokesman for Central England Co-op said: “We back the response of Northants Police to try and put a stop to anti-social behaviour in and around our store in Irthlingborough.

“This approach sits perfectly alongside a new campaign we have launched warning people who might act in a violent or aggressive way towards colleagues in our stores that this behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We want people to think long and hard about the person wearing our uniform – they will be someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, grandma or grandfather.

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“We want people to ask themselves whether they would like their relatives to be confronted by someone in a violent or aggressive way – the answer is no and therefore why should our colleagues or anyone who works in retail have to even consider facing up to this kind of behaviour.

“This campaign is designed to ensure our colleagues and their families are protected from the physical and emotional impact of violence and aggression and feel safe to come to work.

“We are working closely with local police forces to crackdown on this issue and have also installed a range of new security measures to assist us with that task.

“Everyone at Central England Co-op is proud to live, work and serve in our local communities – now we need people to work with us to make sure that violence and aggression towards our colleagues becomes a thing of the past.”