Begging in The Clink Retail Park

We have received an increase in the number of reports of begging and anti-social behaviour from a small number of known individuals in The Clink. With these reports, we have also seen a rise in shop staff being subjected to verbal abuse, alongside threats of physical violence and committing further criminal offences.

Shops have worked with the neighbourhood policing team in recording each incident, which has greatly assisted us in securing ASB / court orders for repeat offenders. We have also been conducting daily re-assurance patrols and specific targeted operations to tackle this behaviour.

The neighbourhood policing team will always try our hardest to help those in genuine need to secure housing, identify sources of free meals and properly safeguard vulnerable members of our community. However, we will not tolerate those who continue to subject staff and members of the public to verbal abuse and threats of violence, and we will remain robust in our approach in managing this behaviour.