Police seize alcohol from 14-yr-olds
POLICE swoops on groups of under-age drinkers in Lynn town centre, North Lynn and the Woottons this week have led to hundreds of litres of alcohol being confiscated.
Under Operation Watchword, Safer Neighbourhood Teams have been carrying out targeted patrols during the school half-term holiday and seizing a stockpile of booze, including lager, cider, vodka and cocktails, from groups of drinkers as young as 14.
Where children and youths have been caught drinking alcohol, they have been taken home by Police Community Support Officers or police officers and their parents have been told what they have been doing.
Read also: Had too much? Hop on the booze bus
The initiative is part of a national campaign to tackle alcohol-related street crime and, in particular, under-age drinking and related anti-social behaviour.
Sergeant Paul Graves, of Lynn Police, said: "There is a recognised link between under-age drinking and crime and anti-social behaviour.
"As part of this campaign, Safer Neighbourhood Teams have been patrolling those areas where children are believed to be consuming alcohol, confiscating the alcohol, dispersing the groups and informing parents.
"Much of the alcohol that children possess has been purchased for them by an adult and our message is clear – under-age drinking will not be tolerated and if you are supplying children with alcohol you are committing an offence and will be prosecuted."
Sgt Graves said areas where confiscations have taken place included the back of the Netto store at North Lynn, Priory Court shopping area off St Augustine's Way at South Wootton and the Vancouver Centre bus station and shopping precinct in Lynn town centre.
"We have been targeting specific areas for half-term this week. However, we will be using the same powers and targeting areas throughout the year," he said.
Under the Violent Crime Reduction Act, which came into force last August, police have new powers to issue directions to individuals to leave a locality to minimise the risk of alcohol-fuelled crime or disorder taking place.
Sgt Graves said officers could ban people aged 16 or over from returning to that area, if it was a public place, for up to 48 hours, under the new powers.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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