People living and working in a south Wales town say it has become so rife with crime it’s become a “no-go area” after dark. Residents report seeing teens intimidating elderly people so much they no longer feel safe to sit at the bus station or even visit the town on weekday evenings and weekends.
They’ve also reported people throwing items at shoppers and traders during the weekend market, thugs hurling bricks towards shop windows, and youths carrying knives. This is happening in Blackwood, Caerphilly county.
Responding to the latest alleged incident where a teen reportedly chased another with a knife before the victim scrambled into the house of a family friend, the town council called a meeting on Tuesday evening to try and deal with what eyewitnesses report are issues mainly caused by a large group of more than 20 teens.
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But even that was disrupted by yobs who got into the town council building on the night and then refused to leave for some time, causing chaos. The police were called over fears of someone getting seriously injured during the confrontation.
On that occasion the police arrived quickly enough for the perpetrators to disperse. But one still decided to grab a roll of food caddy bags and open them across the market square and the bus station. Others reportedly kicked commercial bins over with rubbish strewn across streets in the town. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
Many people we spoke to for this article decided they could not be named for fear of repercussions. One trader spoke but refused to be named, saying “I value my windows too much”, which was probably a wise decision as the window of longstanding furniture store Tidal’s Store Ltd was damaged by a brick last week.
In a statement Gwent Police said a new multi-agency operation is in place in Blackwood town centre and several people have been arrested in recent days on suspicion of public order offences.
“Blackwood has become worse than the Bronx with anti-social behaviour,” deputy mayor George Etheridge said. “It is completely out of control. Blackwood bus station is a continual problem with e-scooters and bikes being ridden through the bus station and youngsters terrorising people. We have elderly people waiting for buses who have complained about not feeling safe and are intimidated. Bus drivers are abused and have things thrown at them and bus windows are targeted with stones. Bus station windows are being smashed and time table holders defaced and destroyed. Graffiti covers the walls of the bus station.”
It comes at a time where the local authority Caerphilly county borough council has proposed major cuts as it tries to deal with a £47m shortfall. The cuts include potentially removing safety wardens from Blackwood. “The town council has put two proposals to Caerphilly council, which has just rejected them as it says it is not cost effective, but the town council has offered to pay,” Cllr Etheridge said. “Caerphilly council has put a proposal forward to cut the community safety wardens at a time where they are a vital asset to the community and a lifeline to businesses and residents. I am also concerned as if the safety wardens are lost it means taxpayers’ money has also been wasted on a new CCTV van that will sit idle.”
Various dispersal orders have been put in place by Gwent Police but people say they are not working. The most recent dispersal order came into effect on January 16 and lasted for two days. Cllr Etheridge said: “Gwent Police have put dispersal orders in place. These only move the problem from one area to another until the order finishes and then the gangs of youths return to the hotspot of Blackwood bus station and the town centre.
“Knife crime seems to allegedly be on the rise and reports on social media and complaints to councillors back this. Innocent younger children are being targeted by groups of older teenagers who are looking to cause potential harm. Businesses are having to close early due to safety concerns and fear for staff safety. The problem is as much as the youngsters are a pain, you have to admit these teenagers have got very little. When we were kids there were various clubs whereas now there is nothing for them.”
Last week Cllr Kevin Etheridge said he decided he had to take the issues to the chief constable and the police and crime commissioner, who met with councillors on Thursday to try to thrash out a plan. He said: “We had a productive meeting with Gwent Police but I had to write to the chief constable and the police and crime commissioner before this was taken seriously enough for a meeting. I do feel it’s quite sad it took me to write that letter for them to intervene. This problem has become very very bad in the last six weeks. People are now telling me they don’t go to Blackwood in the evenings and late afternoons because they tell me it’s now a no-go area. This is crippling for our local businesses. We have been encouraged by what we have heard in the meeting and now is time for action and not words.”
Cllr Andrew Short, a mechanic and antiques dealer who is situated at the garage across the road from the bus station, explained how he stands with people waiting for their bus because the bus station has become too intimidating for them. “It is worse at the bus station and around the bus station,” he said. “Yesterday evening there must have been 40 police here. There are always plenty of police most nights. But it hasn’t changed much.
“It’s never been as bad as it is now. I can’t even describe it. I’ve worked in Splott and Grangetown and yet I’ve never seen the level of disrespect and abuse you get here. Gangs of youths hang around the bus station and they’ll start on everyone and anyone for no reason. It’s just fun for them isn’t it? They get a kick out of intimidating people.
“I have elderly people who want to use the bus coming here and waiting with me before their bus arrives. That’s how bad this is. They’re actually coming over to the mechanic and waiting here. They’re scared stiff and you can’t blame them. It’s dangerous over there, so much so the bus drivers have panic alarms. They’re not kids we’re talking about. They’re 12 to 18. I’d now go as far to say it’s not safe myself. The police are fighting a losing battle because of all the nutters. There’s nothing for youngsters here to do. That’s part of the problem. Grassroots facilities and services have slowly drained away in Blackwood and that’s where the problem really lies.”
The 70-year-old market which takes place on a Tuesday, Friday and a Saturday has also been targeted, locals say. Eyewitnesses report on weekends how missiles have been thrown over a wall which neighbours the market which have fallen on top of traders’ stalls. One trader, who said he didn’t want to be named because the people responsible knew him and might target his business, said some shoppers have stopped attending the market over the incidents and traders feel threatened.
Ewan Thayer, who works in the gym which is next to the market, said: “There are loads of teenagers constantly messing about outside. But it goes beyond that. We’ve had them breaking into the gym and on one occasion they sprayed a can of aerosol in members’ faces. It’s intimidating for older members especially. It’s a real issue. Sometimes there are 20 of them. Two weeks ago five of them came in running around in here and then locked themselves in the disabled toilets. They were drinking alcohol. I’ve got it all on camera. There has been an incident earlier this month where a teenager has chased another teenager with a knife up the hill and into the housing estate. The teenager being chased ended up safe in a house of a family friend before they called the police. It’s a crazy situation.”
Police have put gates either side of the high street in Cwmbran to prevent people racing up the street in cars, one resident who has lived in the town for more than 30 years and who wanted to remain anonymous, said. “In the day it’s quiet because they might be in school and because there’s no market here. Once the market’s here you get them up on the top hurling things down. In the night time it’s very intimidating for anyone else here because they congregate in this area and for old people especially it feels dangerous. There is an alleyway which runs out of the town centre and into the housing estates above so they can get away from police pretty easily. There have always been problems though. We did have issues with people racing their cars through the high street. On Thursday nights they’d meet there and race their cars. It was mad. Now they’ve got gates either side and they close the high street off every day.”
Chief Inspector Stevie Warden of Gwent Police said issues of anti-social behaviour in Blackwood have been “mindless” and “unacceptable”. “Our officers continue to work with our community safety partnership to do all we can to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town,” he said. “The bus station, for instance, is one of our known areas for anti-social behaviour and that is factored into our daily patrols and tailored Operation Lumley plans. We are aware of the recent reports of disorder over the last few weeks and councillors’ concerns, and we continue to work collaboratively with partner agencies to tackle this.
“In the last two weeks we’ve issued numerous dispersal orders, arrested and charged a 17-year-old girl for breaching a community protection notice and we will continue to carry out regular patrols in the area and take appropriate action against anti-social behaviour. Positively, we’ve seen a decrease in anti-social behaviour in Blackwood in recent days but our work does not stop here.
“Tackling the issue goes beyond just policing, we would ask parents, guardians and carers to consider – do you know where your children are socialising, and do you know if they’re involved in what is being reported to us? And we urge them to have conversations to help these young people understand that not only are these actions having a negative impact on those around them, that any offences committed by them could negatively impact their futures – whether that’s stopping from getting their dream job, applying for a car loan, or the chance to travel.” Caerphilly council was also contacted for comment. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here
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