Crimewave hits village

A wave of crime and anti-social behaviour is threatening to ruin Kinver’s quiet tourist village image, residents and traders claim.

The doctors surgery and St Peter’s Church have both been hit by break-ins in the last week alone, alongside more complaints of yobs congregating in the High Street in large numbers.

And it is feared that if action is not taken to tackle the increase in crime tourists could be put off visiting the picturesque village.

Andrea Spaull, chairman of the St Peter’s Church Hall management committee, said groups of up to 30 youths regularly hung around outside the church until late at night drinking and throwing things at the church windows.

And during the last week the church’s gardening equipment was stolen. It was the second break in at the church in the last couple of months.

Mrs Spaull, who has lived in the village for 20 years, said: “I think crime has increased in Kinver.

“My husband is a member of Neighbourhood Watch and we get a regular round up of incidents around the village and there does seem to be more happening from bogus callers to stolen cars and damage to property.

“It does give the wrong impression of the place because it is actually one of the most sociable places you could find.”

Another resident and business owner in the village Sarah Jackson said the award-winning bus shelter in the High Street had also become a flash point for anti social behaviour and violence.

She said: “There can be groups of up to 20 or 30 people gathering there throwing rubbish around and drinking. There has been some fighting in the street late at night. It is unfair because it is very intimidating and people do not even want to walk past them.”

Resident Mr David Bills, who has lived in the village for 62 years, said part of the problem was down to lack of police.

He said: “There was a time when we had a sergeant and five constables covering Kinver and there would always be someone on parade. Now you are lucky to get one. The ones we do have do the best they can but it is a manpower problem.”

Kinver Councillor Brian Edwards said: “Kinver does attract tourists but this is is going to start putting people off coming here.”

Maggie Quinn, community safety coordinator for Kinver, said: “We will bring any issues up at our regular Joint Operation Group meeting with all the relevant agencies and come up with ways to stop what is happening now these things have been brought to our attention.

“Yes Kinver does seem to have its share of anti-social behaviour but it tends to be very low level crime.”