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Leicester off-licences support Safer Summer campaign

Posted on 29/07/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Leicester off-licences support Safer Summer campaign

Police are delighted after a test purchase operation of 42 off-licences, shops and supermarkets in Leicester resulted in just one selling alcohol to an underage customer. 

Officers, accompanied by a 15-year-old girl, visited 18 premises in the London Road, Evington Road and Uppingham Road areas of Leicester on Thursday July 23. The girl was sent into each store to attempt to purchase alcohol and was questioned about her age or asked for identification in all but one. 

A further test purchase operation was held in the Granby Street, Welford Road and Belgrave Gate areas on Tuesday July 28 using a 15-year-old boy posing as a customer. This area was specifically targeted to coincide with an underage event at a night club in the evening. A total of 24 shops were visited with all refusing to sell alcohol to the boy. 

PC Sean McOwen from the City Centre Violence and Disorder Team said: “This is an excellent result and brings the total number of off-licences, shops and supermarkets tested so far during the school holidays to 99. 

“We specifically targeted shops in the city centre on Tuesday to coincide with an underage event at Zanzibar night club. Obviously youngsters can’t purchase alcohol at the event, so in the past we have found that they visit shops in the area to try to buy alcohol to drink before the event. 

“Young people under the influence of alcohol in the city are more vulnerable and therefore more likely to become victims of crime. It also generally leads to an increase in anti-social behaviour. This is something which we are committed to tackling as part of the ‘Safer Summer’ campaign. Test purchase operations are just one strand of this campaign, and we will be carrying out more throughout the school holidays.” 

Other initiatives taking place as part of the ‘Safer Summer’ campaign include clean up events, patrols of hotspot areas for anti-social behaviour, enforcement operations to target drug dealers and sports activities for young people to get involved in. 

Anyone with information about alcohol being sold to underage people should contact Leicestershire Constabulary on (0116) 222 2222 or alternatively call Crimestoppers which is free* and anonymous on 0800 555 111. 

*Some mobile phone service providers may charge for this call.