Group of teens 'breaking windows' and 'intimidating' beach hut users at Sandbanks
Tenants in Sandbanks left "horrified" after youths caught vandalising beach huts
A large group of teens are reportedly intimidating owners of expensive beach huts on Sandbanks beach.
Witnesses say they’ve been breaking windows of beach huts and covering them in graffiti as well as openly smoking cannabis and inhaling laughing gas in public.
Beach hut tenants are apparently “horrified” by the level of anti-social behaviour and “mindless vandalism by drunken and probably drugged up youths” on display in the wealthy suburb.
Bob Lister, Chairman of the Association of Poole Beach Hut Tenants, told us: “The damage has been done and when you consider how much beach huts cost to rent, it's horrific.
“We have very few rangers on patrol now, so no one is checking on a daily basis what damage has been done even though the rents have gone up astronomically.”
Tenants are said to pay up to £5,500 a year for beach huts in the famous seaside resort.
Mr Lister has urged BCP Council to increase the number of patrols, “Friday and Saturday patrols should be a minimum from the council. It shouldn't just be on the police; the council need to be involved too.”
Residents of Sandbanks agreed and ask BCP Council to take further measures to increase security in this area, particularly as beach Hut rentals have doubled this year.
A spokesperson for the Sandbanks Community Group added: “We welcome increased presence from the Police to tackle these problems. We would also welcome investment in security cameras to cover this area and help the Police to gather information on the disturbances.”