Police given extra powers in Walsall after bricks thrown at cars
The dispersal order is in place until Saturday (11 Nov).
West Midlands Police has put a dispersal order in place in the Coalpool, Goscote, and Harden areas of Walsall following unacceptable criminal damage.
Several vehicles, including two police cars were damaged.
The section 35 dispersal order came into effect at 4pm yesterday (Thurs) and will be in place for 48 hours.
On Wednesday night, there were numerous reports of damaged vehicles after missiles, including bricks and stones, were thrown at passing vehicles from inside Ryecroft Cemetery, on Coalpool Lane, Coalpool.
Two police cars had windows smashed and bodywork dented.
There were also reports from taxi drivers and members of the public that their vehicles had also been damaged.
In a statement on their website, West Midlands Police said: "This behaviour is completely unacceptable, The people involved are causing issues in the local community and we are determined to stop this happening.
"Over the next 48 hours, we've put in extra policing powers which will allow us to disperse anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour and causing a public nuisance."
There will also be an increased police presence in the Coalpool, Goscote, and Harden areas.
Sergeant Phil Upton, neighbourhood policing supervisor at Walsall LPA, said: “We can’t tolerate this kind of behaviour. Someone will get seriously injured or killed if this continues.
"As well as introducing the section 35 dispersal order which allows us to disperse people engaging in anti-social behaviour we will have an increased presence in the area to offer reassurance to people in the community.
“This kind of behaviour is simply unacceptable and I would appeal to parents to please find out where your child is and what they are doing. We need this behaviour to stop. We will also continue to investigate the crimes associated with the issues being caused in the area and will be taking action against anyone involved.”
If anyone has any information that could help the investigation, they are urged to call 101 and quote log 798 of 9 November.