AN OKEHAMPTON businessman has offered to put his hand in his pocket towards the cost of CCTV cameras to stop young people causing a nuisance in the town's Red Lion Yard.
The move comes after youths banged on windows and shouted abuse at shop owners and their customers in the yard.
Concerns about anti-social behaviour affecting residents and businesses were raised at a meeting last week of business owners, Angus McPhie, who owns the yard, local residents as well as representatives from Okehampton Town Council and the police.
The meeting focused on CCTV being fitted to combat the rising incidents of youths causing havoc in Okehampton.
Police Sgt Mark Hoar said: 'We want people to tell us of any issues they have with young people who are causing problems.
'We need the public to phone us and report these incidents so that they can be recorded.
'We can only go on what we are given and what I would like to get across is please do call us and report it so that something can be done.
'The detection rate in the Red Lion Yard is quite low and we do struggle with it in this area.
'Now we have identified it as a problem area, we can look at anti-social behaviour and a way of combating it.'
The installation of CCTV cameras comes after a rise in shoplifting and criminal damage in the Red Lion Yard area.
Owner Mr McPhie said: 'I am happy to commit to the sum necessary to install CCTV in the yard, subject to the police giving the town council a by-law to ban skate boarding and cycling in the area and it being passed by the Home Office.
'The amount we are looking at is between approximately £10,000 and £12,000 to fit five or six cameras around the yard and I am more than willing to do it if it stops this anti-social behaviour.
'It is a difficult situation. The police are thin on the ground but they really are doing their best to stop the issue of anti-social behaviour.
'The trouble is it is spread over a number of hours and so having CCTV cameras will create an awareness and supply the evidence needed to prosecute.
'It will educate people to be more socially responsible and I am more than happy to support the town.
'Okehampton is a wonderful place, with a lot to offer. We want people to feel safe and enjoy the yard.'
Owner of Martins' Bistro Mo Martin said: 'We do get a lot of problems with young people, especially outside the back.
'They will bang on the door in the evenings, which doesn't look good when we are trying to run a business.
'We have tried to ask them to leave but all we get in return is abuse.
'People feel intimidated, things are being smashed outside the restaurant by children as young as six years old, to adults in their 20s.'
Elaine Gord from Krafty Cards added: 'I run workshops in the evening and we experience a lot of noise.
'Young people are banging on the windows and shouting abuse, which can be off-putting and scary at night.'
Owner of Kudos Clothing Trisha Shaw said: 'We get an awful lot of kids on their bikes doing dangerous stunts on planks, which gets filmed on their mobile phones.
'I have also experienced a lot of theft and in the last few months we are now about to have our third prosecution.
'The youngsters are hanging around after school and it is at these times when we need police patrolling.
'I for one, would like to see a ban on skate boarding and cycling in the yard, because apart from anything else, it is dangerous.
'I am definitely happy about CCTV cameras being installed, I already have some in the shop but to have them around the yard would make a difference and help reduce crime.'
Devon and Cornwall Police crime prevention officer Mike Youlden said: 'It would be difficult to cover an exact point with CCTV.
'There would have to be someone monitoring it 24 hours because unfortunately, if not, the footage comes to us two or three days later, which is usually a still picture that we struggle to identify.
'There is a whole gambit of things that are going on which need to be dealt with.'