Terrified pensioners' plea for action against roof-climbing yobs (From The Northern Echo)

Terrified pensioners' plea for action against roof-climbing yobs

2:50pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in News Exclusive By Mark Summers

RESIDENTS of old people’s bungalows have been terrified by a gang of youngsters rampaging through their gardens and climbing on their roofs.

People living at Lingholme in Chester-le-Street have been targeted by a gang of about ten boys and girls aged between ten and 15 on Sunday and Monday night.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "We have got an old lady of 90 here.

"The old people gere are absolutely terrified.

"We call the police and they come out an hour later when they (the youngsters) have gone.

"We have just been absolutely plagued this last few days.

It started on Sunday night They went through the gardens smashing and kicking the bins and over and then they were up on the roof.

"All the police and council say is there is nowt we can do because you have to tell us who they are. I don’t know who they are.’’ The resident said it had been a quiet neighbourhood and that he believed the culprits were local "They might just be having fun but you can’t be having fun running across the roofs and frightening the old people.’’ He added that he hoped publicity may alert parents as to what their children are up to at night.

Police say they will be having extra high visibility patrols in the area.

A spokeswoman said: "Anti-social behaviour blights communities and local people can be reassured we are taking this matter very seriously."