SHOEBURYNESS: Police pleased with anti-booze operation

Police in Shoeburyness have seized scores of drinks from underage youngsters  and say they’re pleased with the reduction in anti social behaviour.

Local officers have been patrolling the Four Rivers estate in Shoeburyness as part of Operation New World, seizing alcohol from underage drinkers. 

The Operation has proved a success, as Sergeant Ian Hughes told longpier.com:

“Residents of the estate had been telling us earlier this year that there was a problem in the area with youths hanging around drinking alcohol, so we set up Operation New World to deal with it. 

“The operation is a multi-faceted approach to the issue and has included a coloured carrier bag scheme, whereby each of the seven off licences in Shoebury use different coloured carrier bags so we can easily trace back purchases if we seize bags of drink from underage people.  We have also increased our patrols of the area, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, and have been approaching groups of youths and taking their alcohol away from them and offering suitable advice.

“The Four Rivers estate is also set to become a no alcohol zone in the very near future, which will extend our powers to be able to remove alcohol from anyone we find drinking in the streets.  Our robust approach to the problem has already seen a real reduction in reported incidents of anti-social behaviour and has tied in nicely with Operation Carnival, which is our local response to the issues we encounter during the school summer holidays.”

Anyone with information about anti-social behaviour in Shoebury is urged to report it via the neighbourhood policing team’s mobile phone on 07710 086590.  However, always dial 999 if a crime is in progress.