Car cruisers warned by police
A SENIOR police officer has pledged to put more young car enthusiasts who gather and race by a Notts motorway junction before the courts.
Inspector Russell Dew, the new local area commander for Hucknall, said the past month had seen his officers arrest three men, seize three cars and issue more than 50 injunctions banning the 'cruisers', sometimes known as boy racers, from gathering off Junction 27 of the M1 at Annesley Woodhouse.
Now he has secured funding to continue to operate a high police presence in the area.
He said: "My officers and I have been up there on three of the last four weekends and we will continue to be there while these gatherings continue.
"We are in the process of putting one cruiser who has broken an injunction before the courts and others will follow.
"I can't help thinking that if they continue to gather there will be a nasty smash and someone will die.
"We will be back there this weekend and will look to use all legal powers available to us."
Last year, Notts police secured an injunction at Nottinghamshire County Court banning the car enthusiasts – who often share a passion for modified cars – from gathering in one place in the county.
In April this year Adam Barnfather, 18, of Parkhall Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, became the first driver in the country to be convicted for breaching such an injunction.
Notts cruisers expressed their anger at being banned from a national conference on the policing of cruisers held in Annesley in March.
Mr Dew, who recently became Hucknall's fourth local area commander in the past 15 months, said he was keen to reassure local residents that he wanted to bring "consistency" to policing in the town.
His pledge follows a heated public meeting on local crime organised by the Notts Police Authority at Hucknall's George Street Working Men's Club.
Mr Dew said: "A number of residents expressed concern that the town's police station on Watnall Road was at times not open in the evening.
"We had a massive problem trying to recruit people to do front office duties. That problem has now been solved.
"We have response officers covering the town through the night, and members of the public can phone the police control room directly when the station front office is closed.
"I have been a police officer for 15 years and worked in Notts for the past seven years. I want to bring consistency to policing Hucknall."
guy.woodford@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
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by at the trackside, hucknall
Wednesday, November 12 2008, 7:19PM
“Well done to inspector Dew and thank you to counc Chris Baron lets hope they get rid of the cruisers this time. The sundays have been a lot better but some are still racing in the week,they have no care or respect for anyone, keep coming lads but dont moan when your up before the courts”
by mr white, nottingham
Tuesday, November 11 2008, 1:13AM
“I hope they stay there and not get bullied off .I was thinking theres no law to say they can't park up and chat with each other but this is england ahhhhhhhhhh!”
by mr white, nottingham
Tuesday, November 11 2008, 1:05AM
“So youve stopped people on motor bikes from using the dessert in mansfield,done that !!
"I know" ! lets stop the cars from having fun aswell. you police really have to get a life.IN both these areas ,the dessert and J27 there out the way from built up areas let people blow of some steam for gods sake.So who will they target next when they have spoiled the cruisers fun ,I know what about the blue rinsses who sit on park benchs all day .god i hate this crap country!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by brian, notts
Monday, November 10 2008, 8:36PM
“these young people must work to afford spending dosh on their cars? (unless drug dealers-nick those ones) i can`t imagine they want to smash up their expensive toys? and its far better than them robbing or taking drugs? i really don`t see the issue, what? lots of flash cars are parked together? is that it?”
by Bonzo, forest fields
Monday, November 10 2008, 5:59PM
“Leave the kids alone, you should be free to do whatever speed your car can do, why sell a car that can reach 120 mph if there is no road you can reach that speed on ?
I can get 94 mph out of my souped up nova.”
by Andyman, Derbys
Monday, November 10 2008, 5:32PM
“It would appear that there is considerably less intelligenge in the posts than normal, cruisers are NOT the boy racers who blight everyone.
Cruisers are basically custom car enthusiasts who spend considerable sums on their vehicles and like to show them off, they are NOT the boy racers who blight areas with their loud musin, noisy exhausts, and pimped up Saxo's, Nova's, and all the other scrapyard dodging vehicles which they drive.
This area has had many problems for many years, and like another poster, i too have seen them, it is the location and laout of the road network which attracts these morons. Being on a motorway junction, having many small country roads, and therefore many easy escape routes is what attracts these types of boy racers, and particularly the car thieves. They know they can run to Annesley's back roads, Underwood's back roads, and have easy access to Jacksdale, Hucknall, and Eastwood, thus evading capture by the Police.
High car thefts in Hucknall in recent years has meant that many of these responsible used these routes, and this goes back at least 15 years, well before the cruisers were there.”
by Andrew, Basford
Monday, November 10 2008, 2:10PM
“Why is there such a fascination with looking at other peoples cars? How dull is that? And why do the majority of these young boys drive really girly cars? Just by sticking a noisy exhaust and some blue bulbs on the bonnet doesn't mean that it's no longer a Vauxall Corsa, or a Renault Megane y'know! My 74 year old mum has a Corsa. Surely these boys could start a Scalextric club and get their enjoyment that way, they might even meet girls that way and find something a bit more interesting to do. It's all quite sad really.”
by who do i think i am?, Stirling Moss??
Monday, November 10 2008, 1:55PM
“typical bully boy coppers, picking on easy targets for the easy money, whats up lads? trying to be top of the table to win that holiday in Barbados?? its about time coppers started working for all aspects of society. are they putting the same effort into finding out who broke into my nans house last year?? are the heck! but then theres no money to be made there..........”
by William Fotherington-Thomas, The Park
Monday, November 10 2008, 1:43PM
“These people have illegal exhausts, that's what annoys everyone. They're a damn nuisance. The Vehicle Inspectorate should inspect their vehicles and the ones with missing silencers and catalysts should be cut up with a gas axe.”
by Dave, Nottingham
Monday, November 10 2008, 12:42PM
“john, NOTTS - at least they can spell.”