GROUPS of Bordon and Whitehill youths have been travelling to Petersfield, where they have been intimidating local residents with their alcohol-fuelled antics. However, according to the Bordon teenagers, they are bored and that police moving them on when they congregate does not resolve anything. Groups of more than 30 teenagers have this month been descending regularly on Petersfield on Friday and Saturday nights. As a result, police launched a crackdown last weekend to try and sort out the problem. But the Bordon teenagers say there is not enough to do in Bordon, so they have to look elsewhere. They have also cited Petersfield as an easier place to be served alcohol. Sergeant James Noble, from Whitehill Police, said the problem was "doubled up" by people coming out of pubs at 11-30 pm and moving on to clubs. He said because of the numbers of youths and the "drunk and disorderly" behaviour, police launched Operation Kearney this weekend. The problem escalated on Friday, February 3, and Saturday, February 4, and a 16-year-old girl from Petersfield was arrested for drunkenness offences over the same weekend. After a tip-off to police that the Bordon groups would return the following weekend, the operation was launched. Police and special constables were out in force on Friday and Saturday and a total of 14 police pounded the beat as part of the operation. The operation, described by police as "successful", served to ease the minds of the people of Petersfield. Two men were arrested. Sgt Noble said both men were arrested for drunken offences and described one of them as violent. Police questioned youths coming off the trains in Petersfield and found the majority to be under 18 years old. Sgt Noble said the youngsters ranged from 15 to their 20s and they were coming from Bordon, Whitehill, Liphook and Liss. "They were causing a general nuisance and problems," he said. "Anybody walking past would have definitely been intimidated by their behaviour." But local teenagers have said that the problem will not go away that easily. Adam Smith, 18, from Bordon, went to Petersfield at the weekend to visit relatives. He said he recognised a number of people of his age and younger, who can often be seen "hanging around" the Forest Shopping Centre in Bordon. He said: "There were lots of people I knew and lots of people from Bordon. "All the younger ones are going down with their friends in cars, parking up and then going to cause mischief. "The problem is not going to disappear unless they create something for the kids to do." He said such operations only moved the problem on somewhere else and did not solve it. "There's nothing to do in Bordon. Some of the younger kids play football in the road. "Often I see a lot of kids hanging around the shopping centre. It's because there's nothing of interest for them to do. "I suggest there should be something such as a splash-down pool, a small cinema, or a paint-ball park." He said when he used to live in Poole, teenagers had plenty of things to do and the town never had problem with youths hanging around in the streets. "Here, there's not even a decent park or playing field," he added. "I think everyone went out last week because they were getting into the clubs under age." A 16-year old girl from Bordon, who did not wish to be named, said: "A lot of young people just go from pub to pub. "Petersfield is a better night out and you're not stuck in Bordon." She said older teenagers can drive, so they take their friends to Petersfield. Otherwise the young people get the bus to Liphook and then the train to get to Petersfield. She said that because pubs in Petersfield are closer together than in Bordon and Whitehill, it is easier to move from pub to pub trying to get served. Describing a lack of facilities in Bordon she said activities such as the SNAP discos at the community centre were a good facility for younger children, but that there was nothing to do for people her age, who do not want to be constantly supervised. "Lots of my friends prefer to go out in Petersfield rather than Bordon. I think it's easier to get served in a pub in Petersfield," she said. Speaking about the trouble last weekend caused by Bordon and Whitehill teenagers and those from Petersfield, Police Sergeant Rhona Anderson, said: "There was just a bit of pushing and shoving. "This does happen from time to time but it is not a regular occurrence and would normally happen in the summer months. Very rarely do they go on to each other's territory. "But then they decide to have a rematch in Petersfield - and I will not tolerate that in my town." She emphasised that this was not something she wanted to see occurring again in Petersfield. She said in Peterfield young people traditionally meet in the Square, especially those who are too young to go to a pub but who have grown out of youth club. "However, we have to think of everybody in Petersfield. It is a peaceful place to live and that is what the people who live here want. "There is no place in the town at the weekends for any kind of public disorder and we will act quickly to dispel any threat to the general public to ensure peaceful evenings," she said. Police have said that if Bordon teenagers continue to visit Petersfield at weekends they will be ready to deal with it. Sgt Anderson said: "We have sufficient resources and, in the event of any further problems, we will have enough officers to deal with it."
