Private security guards costing £8,500 have been recruited to patrol in a quiet seaside town over the school holidays – to stop kids from terrorising locals. Residents and businesses in Herne Bay, Kent, say groups of children have allegedly been stealing from shops, shouting abuse, throwing things, and using catapults on animals in the park.
Now, Akon Security has been awarded an £8,500 contract to help council enforcement officers crack down on anti-social behaviour (ASB) from the group. Heena Thakkar, 49, who owns a corner shop on the high street, says the kids have been terrorising her for years – but that things are starting to get better with the new patrols.
She said: “We have had problems with them but with the new patrols it has gotten a lot better. They come to check on my shop at least two times a day. We had kids coming in a little gang, and they are only about eight or 10 years old. They would always steal stuff.
“They would also throw eggs and fruit at our doors. They were always lobbing trolleys at the windows. This was going on for four months, then they started killing ducks in the park.
“I would call the police but there is not a concrete solution because they weren’t allowed to do anything. They know it is in the law that we can’t touch them, and they challenge you on it.”
A packed meeting at the towns King’s Hall in June revealed the strong feeling towards the ASB in the area, with hundreds of locals showing up to share their thoughts. Speakers shared that youths loitering in hotspots such as the Memorial Park, seafront and town centre, have made some scared to leave their homes.
But residents are divided on how to fix the problem – with some suggesting harsh discipline, while others call for more hobbies. Fiona Thompson, 55, who works in a charity shop where donations are constantly ruined, says she believes the council should be funding more activities instead of security.
She said: “They are quite clever, they wait until I am busy with a customer then go to the corner where I can’t see them and steal. The main problem is that there is nothing to do in Herne Bay. They are just bored, and their parents can’t afford to pay for activities for them.
“We should be targeting the parents, finding out what their kids like, and funding the activity. If they had something to do which was constructive then they wouldn’t be terrorising the pubic.”
Her colleague, who wished to remain anonymous, added: “If anyone ever leaves donations when we are closed then the bags are destroyed and stink of urine.
“Theft has gone up loads even though we have cameras. These kids don’t care that we have them. They steal about 50 items a month, which is a few hundred pounds of revenue. Most of our volunteers are old or vulnerable so even if they see something there isn’t a lot that they can do.”
Kamal Virdi, 59, who runs a vape shop in the high street says that he has also had many incidents with the troublesome pack. He said: “There is a group of around four or five kids that come up here on their e-scooters. I have thrown them out of the shop a few times.
“They are loud, and they come in the shops to try and steal stuff about two or three times a week. There are a lot of elderly people being terrorised by yobs. But there isn’t anything that they can do.”
Another shop owner, who wished to remain anonymous, encouraged a harsher approach to the problem- calling for discipline. The toy salesman, who is in his 50s, said: “I don’t think the police have tackled this as well as they could, but the parents are the problem.
“The kids don’t need love and affection they need discipline and hard facts. The parents should be fined, and the kids should be made to apologise to the people they hurt.
“These kids have got to learn that their actions have consequences. If it is not tackled soon then there will be vigilantes out there. The security is just for summer so the kids will go underground for six weeks then start causing problems again.”
A colleague, who also didn’t want to be named for her own safety, said: “They are always out there on their bikes. We get a lot of verbal abuse, especially the female staff.
“They are just out to cause trouble. We had to stop selling marbles because they were using them to load their catapults. It is always the same group of about six kids.”
However, not all locals see the troublesome kids as being a problem, with some saying that people are overreacting. One anonymous resident said: “We live in a namby pamby society where kids playing conkers is seen as dangerous. Once upon a time kids playing football was just that, now it is a gang.
“You can find ASB anywhere if you look for it, this is just people getting offended easier. This new security hire is like handing out buckets on the titanic. I don’t think the police can fix it, there has to be a societal shift.”
Two security guards, in Akon-branded uniforms, will work five days a week to patrol the streets, while police increase their presence on Fridays and Saturdays. Akon workers cannot arrest anyone, but will act as a deterrent- assisting officers and reporting any crimes straight to police.
The Kent Police and Crime Commissioner’s office has funded the project, which will help the work of Kent Police, Kent County Council wardens and city council enforcement teams.
A Police and Crime Commissioner spokesperson said: “As part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Commissioning Budget, Crime Reduction Grants are made available to each of the County’s Community Safety Partnerships, (CSP). Canterbury CSP is one of these recipients.
“As part of these grants an additional £8500 was provided to Canterbury’s CSP in order that they can respond to seasonal ASB in the coastal area of Herne Bay. The CSP are responsible for deciding how these funds will be spent.
“As with all grants the requirement is that the grant is used to deliver community safety projects in line with the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan.
“The PCC’s grant will focus on community engagement, support and visible re-assurance for communities to compliment both policing and local council statutory functions.”
Akon security boss Oli Nonis added: “We can confirm that we have been contracted to support local efforts in addressing ASB in Herne Bay.
“As a business with strong ties to the community and a background in professional security services, we’re pleased to be involved in a project that prioritises safety and community reassurance.”
District commander for Canterbury, chief inspector Paul Stoner, said: “Being visible is the bedrock of Kent Police’s neighbourhood policing model, with community-focused beat teams as well as officers working with licenced premises dedicated to keep the town and surrounding areas safe and enjoyable for all.
“Partnership working with other agencies including Canterbury City Council is well-established and any initiative introduced by a partner organisation aimed at making an area safer will be supported appropriately.”
