Vandalism has struck Sutton Coldfield again, with another group of youths recorded throwing rocks at the Red Rose Centre in the town centre. This incident occurred just weeks after a viral video showed teenagers damaging a nearby flower bed.
The most recent attack took place at approximately 7pm on Saturday, 20 August. A witness, who chose to remain anonymous, described the scene: “I was alerted by pedestrians who felt unsafe as stones and rocks were being thrown. There was a large group of young people aiming rocks at the shopping centre’s glass windows.”
The witness added, “At times, several individuals were throwing stones simultaneously, while at other moments, only one person was. They showed no concern for pedestrians walking beneath. It was a dangerous situation where someone could have been seriously injured. Despite being told to stop, they ignored all warnings.”
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Sutton MP Andrew Mitchell expressed his disappointment after viewing the footage, sharing his reaction on social media. He stated, “Once again, we see footage of young people causing damage in the town centre. I find this anti-social behaviour deeply troubling and fully understand the frustration of local residents who want action taken.”
Mr Mitchell confirmed he would be arranging an urgent meeting with Sutton police to discuss measures to prevent such incidents. He highlighted that while new CCTV is due to be installed in the town centre, its effectiveness depends on appropriate responses to footage capturing these unacceptable actions. “There must be consequences for those involved. Our town centre is being revitalised to support businesses and attract shoppers, and this behaviour undermines those efforts,” he added.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson stated: “We do not tolerate anti-social behaviour in Birmingham or across the West Midlands. We work daily with partners to tackle it due to the significant impact it has on communities.
“We deploy targeted patrols in areas identified as hotspots to reduce such behaviour and to provide reassurance to the public. This includes action against individuals suspected of causing crime and disorder.”
They continued, “Our Anti-Social Behaviour action plan aims to make communities safer by preventing and responding to incidents with a focus on harm reduction and prioritising victims’ needs. Feedback from the 13,000 responses to our Action on ASB survey earlier this year helps guide our local efforts.
“We encourage people to maintain communication with local officers about any ASB concerns and to report any incidents promptly.”