Parents urged to speak with stone throwing youths

The man, who has asked not to be named, said that within the past fortnight a gang of youths have pelted his windows with stones, chipping some of them, and with eggs. He said he is now in the process of setting up cameras outside his home.

He has also been told there have been similar complaints from residents in other parts of the Lefair Park and Lenamore areas.

The man, who has children at home, told the ‘Journal’ that the stone throwing has been going on for several years , but had lulled in more recent times before starting up again with the onset of the dark nights.

“It seems to be young teenagers involved in this and it is getting earlier,” he said. “The latest it would be happening would be 9.30 pm.

“These are not pebbles they are throwing. One of them was a rock. They are going to smash a window and somebody is going to get hit and injured or worse.”

The man said he has spoken with police and they were out at the weekend. “I have reported every incident and they have been very helpful but unless they catch them doing it there’s not a lot can be done deal with it,” he said.

He said he has also spoken with community leaders in the area and they too are aware that this is a more wider problem across the area.

“It’s getting worse,” he said. “It’s probably the same core group of young people involved in these incidents. It is just frustrating,” he said.

The local father said that the majority of the parents of the young people involved were most likely unaware that their children were getting up to this type of anti-social behaviour. “I don’t want to label all the young people in this area. There are young people coming in from other areas as well. I would appeal to parents to talk to their children so that they are aware of the impact and the consequences of what they are doing.”