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Police seize booze haul from youths

Ria Nortcliffe
27/12/2006

POLICE bosses say the quantity of booze they've confiscated from youths is "alarming".

Police have seized more than 280 cans and bottles of alcohol from gangs of youths on the streets of Macclesfield and Wilmslow as part of their ongoing ArcAngel operation.

The campaign to water down the number of under-age drinkers in the borough has been hailed a huge success.

In the run up to Christmas officers have been taking alcohol from teenagers and replacing it with a bottle of ArcAngel mineral water in a new approach to tackle booze-fuelled crime and anti-social behaviour.

During the past three weeks Cheshire Police and council community wardens confiscated liquor including high-strength lager and beer, wine, spirits, and cider, which was later poured away.

And 115 letters were sent to parents warning them that their young son or daughter had been caught drinking.

Chief Inspector Peter Crowcroft, operations manager for the area, said: "The quantities involved here are alarming. It is pretty obvious that in some cases teenagers' pocket money or money they have earned on paper rounds, for example, is going on booze.

"Parents seem to be ignorant of the fact, or half-suspect but turn a blind eye to it."

"If your children are drinking, you need to take some action before they drift into serious trouble.

"We are taking a firm line and will not hesitate to put youngsters in front of the courts if that is the appropriate action."

The vast majority of drink had been bought, either by the youngsters themselves or by an adult who had handed it over to them.

Trading Standards officers and police carried out test purchasing at off-licences with under-age boys and girls. In seven of the 22 premises the teenager was served with alcohol.

Ch Insp Crowcoft said: "A failure rate of 30 per cent just isn't acceptable."