Police tackle the ‘snowball’ yobs (From The Bolton News)

Police tackle the ‘snowball’ yobs

1:10pm Sunday 10th February 2013 in Local

A GANG of yobs who harassed a pensioner by building a giant snowball outside his front door have been dealt with by the police.

The 14 and 15-year-olds had been been regularly riding around on scooters, throwing eggs at houses, smearing chocolate on windows and shining laser pens into people’s homes in Over Hulton.

When Anthony Rochford, aged 72, of Elmwood Close, confronted them, the youngsters responded by building a huge snowball outside his front door which he had to break up with a spade..

Mr Rochford said he had stood up for the residents and told the teenagers to go away.

He said the incidents happened in early January, but became worse when it snowed.

The teenagers decided to use snow that Mr Rochford had cleared from his drive to make the snowball outside his door.

Mr Rochford said: “I have lived here for 25 years and have never had any problems until recently.

“Their behaviour is not fair on the residents here — many are elderly.

“They come and congregate on their scooters and go up and down the road which is an accident waiting to happen.

“When the snow came a few weeks ago they made a giant snowball and left it outside my door. It was their version of an attack.”

Police have been patrolling the area and said they have found the main culprits.

Now the youths and their parents have been spoken to about their behaviour.

PC Shaun Vernon said: “The trouble has stopped now. The elderly residents should not have to put up with this sort of behaviour.

“They thought it was a laugh, but when they have been spoken to, and when they have thought about it, they realised that they would not like this to happen to their grandparents.

“The police will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and any issues reported to us will be investigated.”

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