Households associated with crime and anti-social behaviour in North Tyneside were given an early wake up call on Wednesday (December 21).
Getting underway from 7am, officers from North Tyneside Council and Northumbria Police paid visits to 16 homes in the Killingworth, Dudley, Benton, Annitsford, Seaton Burn, Shiremoor and Longbenton areas.
The action was part of Operation Respect – a joint initiative between the council’s Community and Public Spaces Protection Team and North Tyneside Area Command.
Aimed at tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, the initiative saw people handed legal action notices, which gives them a last chance to improve their behaviour, or told eviction proceedings had begun on their homes.
Their alleged offences include theft, criminal damage, breach of the peace, drug offences, threatening behaviour, intimidation and shoplifting.
Speaking after the visits, Colin Boxshall, manager of the council’s Community and Public Spaces Protection Team, said: “Fortunately anti-social behaviour in North Tyneside is not widespread but where it does occur it can have an enormous impact on people’s lives.
“Our management of anti-social behaviour cases demonstrates a clear focus on protecting people from harm and on supporting victims and witnesses.
“We take prompt, appropriate and decisive action to deal with anti-social behaviour before it escalates and in doing so we apply consistent processes for managing anti-social cases.
“People risk losing their home or face being excluded from entering housing estates if they continue to engage in crime or anti-social behaviour after receiving a warning.
“We make full use of anti-social behaviour legislation, which includes issuing perpetrators with community protection notices, fixed penalty fines, eviction orders and injunctions.
“Repeat offenders risk court orders that will prevent them from entering North Tyneside.
“There are no hiding places for perpetrators.
“North Tyneside is a great place to live, work and visit, and in partnership with the police our resolve is to keep it that way.”
During the visits, those who are homeowners received legal action notices and council tenants received notices seeking possession. Other tenants visited were warned that their tenancies will be at risk and other future action could include Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions and Orders, if further complaints are received.
And those in private rented accommodation were told that the council will help their landlord to evict them if their behaviour did not improve.
As well as speaking to perpetrators, the police and council officers delivered letters to neighbouring residents advising them of the joint action and encouraging them to report any further anti-social behaviour they witness.
Neighbourhood Inspector Mark Storey, from Northumbria Police, said: "Operation Respect is a tried and tested initiative which works well in North Tyneside and benefits our communities.
"By running these operations together, with partners in North Tyneside Council, it strengthens our message that this criminal behaviour will not be tolerated.
"We are continuing to crackdown on those who commit anti-social behaviour and associated crime. We're committed to addressing the issues that are affecting our communities, including burglary and other offences.
"We will continue to work together to take enforcement action against anyone whose behaviour is having a detrimental affect on the community."