Littlehampton falls victim to 'constant drug dealing' and 'rampant shop-stealing' but how can problem be solved?

This newspaper has been told that people are fearful to walk down the streets, even during the day.

It has been claimed the problem has worsened since the Covid pandemic and there is no deterrent with no obvious police presence or wardens readily available to deal with incidents.

‘We need action and we need it now’

Billy Blanchard-Cooper, leader of Littlehampton Liberal Democrats and Beach Ward councillor said: “Put simply Littlehampton needs more police on the beat, in and around the town. Littlehampton deserves better and people should be able to feel safe coming to our town.

"I am told that people and businesses need to keep reporting anti-social behaviour and crime through to the police, but with a lack of action and things getting worse. I can understand why people feel this is wasting their time. However I encourage people to keep trying."

Mr Blanchard-Cooper called on Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne to follow up on her pledge to ‘drive a relentless focus’ on tackling anti-social behaviour, adding: “We need action and we need it now.”

Arun District Council’s vice-chairman Dr James Walsh, who sits on the Sussex Police & Crime Panel, echoed those calls.

He said: “We have constant drug-dealing in public, rampant shop-stealing, and other growing anti-social behaviour, but no real deterrent police presence or follow-up after crime. We need a fully operational police station in Littlehampton, and personnel to operate from there.”

‘This problem needs to be addressed with support’

Gary Hart, an army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – launched a project to tackle youth violence, which was ‘bubbling away in the Arun district’.

Mr Hart, alongside his wife Poppy, runs the Veteran’s Volunteer Service (VVS).

He said: “We're very aware of the issues reported. When we were formed, the situation was really bad. There were stabbings, attempted abductions and a massive bullying problem in the town.

“We’ve worked with young people involved in violent attacks and some of them are back in education. Young people phone us weekly wishing for a new focus so it actually had success rivalled by no other town."

The army veteran has partnered up with schools in the Littlehampton area – in a ‘first of its kind, ground-breaking’ programme.

"We are being invited into schools for early intervention and that is actually making a huge impact,” he said.

"But we completely hear what the public are saying and there is a problem. This problem needs to be addressed with support.

“The bad behaviour is there and it's not needed. There's no place for it in our community but you have to have something in place to teach that.

“It's all about awareness of surroundings, it's all about social inclusion. Nine times out of ten, it’s because they're not being educated in it and there's no positive support in their personal networks as well.

“If you intervene early enough, then it you can stop it escalating. That's our approach to it anyway. We just need the public behind us.”

Mr Hart said ‘it all comes down to funding’ to improve security in the town centre, adding: “Anywhere where there's problems, it's always good to have a strong security structure.

“The veterans volunteer service is more than happy to carry on with the youth focus. We just need the support to be able to do it.

“I went abroad in places with much worse violence like Afghanistan or at places like this hearts and minds is where it's at. This is what does make the difference. And this all comes from education, monitoring and nurturing in the right way.

"That doesn't mean being soft. It means giving structure boundaries and actually teaching the responsibility of oneself in community."

‘High streets look like war zones’

Will Harvey was a victim of a vicious attack in the high street last year. The local businessman has been assisting the VVS project to reduce youth violence in Littlehampton,

He said: “It's very easy to blame the kids all the time but we've had 13 years of austerity and there's no youth clubs. I think there's also a toxic mix of social media pressure on kids. It's a combination of things.

"It's also very difficult for people who would want to do the right thing to get support. Gary and Poppy do amazing things.

"I've got young sons myself. They're in their twenties but they do not feel safe. There's no police.

"It took nearly a year for my case to be dealt with and I still haven't received compensation. You feel that you're abandoned and that's nationwide.

"Young people are disenfranchised, the high streets look like war zones. I also feel sorry for teachers because they're underfunded.

"You've got to get behind these incentives that people like Gary and are doing.”

Crime commissioner ‘would welcome’ new business crime reduction partnership

Sussex PCC Mrs Bourne acts as the voice of the public within policing in Sussex and runs an ongoing programme of engagement with residents to understand their views. Click here to say your say in the PCC’s survey.

Mr Bourne said: “An important part of my role as police & crime commissioner is to listen to local people so I do take the concerns that have been raised seriously.

“As you would expect, I am in contact with the local policing team to understand how they’re addressing these issues and I welcome their upcoming Operation Sonar which, working with other partners, aims to find sustainable and long-term solutions for the challenges faced by residents. I’ll be closely monitoring its effect on anti-social behaviour and identified crime hotspots in the town.

“Arun District Council’s Community Safety Partnership has received an extra £10,000 from me this year to tackle anti-social behaviour in addition to the £48,000 I provided for 2023/24. Furthermore, I awarded £3,000 of Safer Streets funding for graffiti cleaning in Littlehampton in order to improve the local environment.

‘I would also welcome the establishment of an Arun-wide Business Crime Reduction Partnership. I know from other areas that retailers report crime more easily and effectively share information which in turn facilitates the swifter identification of prolific offenders so police can get them off the streets. This is key to helping people feel safe and protected in their town centre and driving down crime.

‘Anti-social behaviour is an issue which Sussex Police tackles most effectively when working in partnership with others. Next month I will join with Arun District Council, Littlehampton Town Council, Sussex Police and partners to explore further approaches to tackling anti-social behaviour and shop theft in Littlehampton and I’m looking forward to a productive meeting.”