Yobs and robbers drive shoppers away as Dudley town centre struggles with crime wave
Saturday, March 7, 2026
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Traders in Dudley, West Midlands, are raising alarm over escalating crime that is keeping shoppers away and harming local businesses. Despite the recent opening of a new West Midlands Police headquarters nearby at Castlegate, shopkeepers say the streets remain plagued by gangs of thieves and groups of youths, leaving little visible law enforcement to deter trouble.
Staff at Poundland report daily shoplifting incidents, with offenders filling bags with items such as chocolate and washing pods.