Lives at risk from young yobs (From Stroud News and Journal)

Lives at risk from young yobs

UNRULY yobs hurled shopping trolleys from the top a a multi-storey shopping car park in Stroud on Sunday endangering lives and smashing parked cars below.

Sgt Mike Yhnell of Stroud police condemned the vandalism at Merrywalks, which caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

One trolley smashed straight through a car windscreen and two other cars suffered damage.

"To throw a shopping trolley off the top of a building on to a car is stupid, dangerous and completely irresponsible," said Sgt Yhnell.

"To launch a trolley off of the top of this building it must be lifted over a concrete parapet so there is no way it was an accident.

"If a person had been struck by one of these trolleys they would almost certainly have been killed or very seriously injured.

"Police will be monitoring this area during patrols and we would appeal for anyone with information about the offenders to get in touch.

"At this time of day it would have been light and if anyone using the car park saw someone loitering in this area we would like to know."

They can call Stroud police on 0845 090 1234.

Police were called after the incident at around 5pm on Sunday, February 24 but there was no trace of the offenders.

In the last few months Stroud police have received reports of graffiti and minor criminal damage at the multi-storey car park but this is the first time they have had to deal with shopping trolleys being thrown off the building.

*Earlier this week, two youngsters were spotted on the roof of Boots chemist in Stroud High Street.

Both the police and fire service were called out to deal with the incident on Friday, February 22 at around 5pm.

When questioned by police the pair claimed they had been playing in the park behind the shop and had accidentally kicked a ball up on to the roof.

They said they had climbed up on to the roof to retrieve the ball.

"Numerous police and fire service personnel attended," said Sgt Yhnell. "Two young lads were arrested but later de-arrested."