CCTV ‘vital’ in stopping vandalism in Newport

Victoria Park and Norbroom Park have been subjected to anti-social behaviour and damage over the past few months, which prompted town and borough councils to take action. Mobile CCTV was installed at Victoria Park and councillors are looking at other options for Norbroom Park.

But with vandalism occurring on a weekly basis, Newport borough councillor Peter Scott said he hoped the message would get across – that culprits would be prosecuted and action would be taken.

Earlier this week, a fence near the canal in Victoria Park was broken, and fishing pegs and other equipment was damaged.

That followed earlier incidents of signs being torn down and thrown in the water, fire extinguishers being thrown into the canal and tables and chairs in the park being vandalised.

Last week, in Norbroom Park, the wall to the skate park was vandalised while it was in the middle of being repaired.

A couple of months ago the skate park there was covered in graffiti, including swastikas.

Councillor Scott said it is mindless vandalism and the repairs ended up being paid for by the taxpayer.

He hopes the public will relay any information they have on such incidents to the police so they can catch the culprits on CCTV.

“The park is a bit of a magnet for bad behaviour,” he said. “A lot of kids go up there and use it for the right reasons but other people don’t.

“It is just thoughtless vandalism. They will break a fence and then that has to be paid for by people’s council tax.

“They have pulled off gates and fishing pegs. Fire extinguishers were thrown into the water a couple of weeks ago and I get a lot of messages from residents when they can hear noise from that park area in ridiculous hours of the morning.

“The CCTV has to work because there is not much more we can do. We do ask for extra police patrols but they can’t be everywhere, but the all-seeing eye of CCTV can be. Hopefully we will get results from it.”

Councillor Scott said there are residents nearby who have to deal with the anti-social behaviour in the park and loud noises in the early hours between 1am and 3am.

He added: “It really does rely on the public coming forward with information – it can be anonymously to the police. No one ever seems to see it happening but it keeps happening, and it needs to stop.

“Don’t mess around there as you will be seen and prosecuted.”