Shoppers 'intimidated' by teenagers gathering outside north Derbyshire Tesco store

Officers in Clay Cross say they have been called numerous times to the Tesco Extra store, on Bridge Street North, because of gangs of up to 13 young people harassing and verbally abusing customers and staff.

The groups have been ‘hanging around Tesco, being rude to staff and customers, breaching Covid regulations and being a general nuisance’, Clay Cross Police Safer Neighbourhood Team said.

“Over the weeks we have received numerous calls in relation to anti-social behaviour being caused by a group of teenagers at Tesco,” the police team said.

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Officers say they are aware that many people ‘see this as us being the fun police, but we have a job to do’.

“As the Safer Neighbourhood Team, our role is to deal with issues such as this that have a detrimental effect upon our community,” they posted on Facebook.

“As a team, we want to make sure that members of the community can go shopping or work without being verbally abused by youths who think they can continue with this behaviour and we won’t do anything about it.”

Officers also asked parents: “Do you know where your kids are?”

Shoppers using the store welcomed the intervention from police.

Kathleen Banner said: “Well done Clay Cross SNT, there have been times when I've called at Tesco and there have been gangs of youths outside swearing at Tesco staf and customers. It makes you feel intimidated.”

Nicky Skerritt posted on the SNT’s Facebook page: “Every time I go to Tesco there are teenagers walking past us in big groups. It makes me feel really uncomfortable whilst waiting for a taxi. They don’t realise because they’re young but this is serious.”

Dylan Brailsford posted: “It’s useless, they get taken home by the police and 10 minutes later they’re back. It’s time their parents took more responsibility for their kids and are told how rude and abusive they are to staff and security.”

Tesco did not respond to our request for a comment.

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