Mindless Vandals or just Criminals?
Posted by westfield on February 22, 2008
Broken bottles and glass are an unfortunate by product of street drinkers. Take a walk in any park area and you will find it strewn with the residue of these wayward critters. You see what gets me is that even the dumbest of creatures knows not to mess in its own nest. Yet these hapless souls drink until they are in a staggering stupor and chuck their debris at their backside to rest in the very place where they would land if they were to fall. However if that isn’t bad enough some unsuspecting local pet has its feet lacerated as it walks through the broken shards. So is it little wonder that even the best of dog owners don’t like taking their beloved pets into the grass areas to do their business. Yes they pick up the dog mess but not before the poor animal has been injured. Then we have the less responsible dog owner who also don’t want to take their pet to the grassy areas and leave their little deposits on the paths for people to walk home in their shoes.
However, have a closer look at the picture opposite. These bottles were discarded as usual by the boozers and have been lined up by person or persons yet unknown and used as target practice. What was it – Two years someone got for firing an air rifle in a public place. Anyway the police have been informed and are presently investigating the matter.
But in the meantime – please if you are drinking illegally in a public place then take your empties home. It could easily be your kid brother, sister or your own pet that is injured.
westfield 
cumbernaulddogtrainingschool said
When this incident was reported by one of my Dog School members to the police they commented that reported crime in the Westfield area has dropped………NOT because there is less crime but because of resident appathy …….NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE REPORTING CRIME AND VANDALISM!
If you see something report it………otherwise NOTHING will ever be done.
We reporeted this incident to Buckfast who have themselves in turn contacted Cumbernauld Police……because of the air gun link there will be more activity from community police officers in the Westfield area.
It is time to stand up to the people who are ruining the area for others.
John Thomson
Cumbernauld Dog Training School
L.M. said
I have lived in Westfield for over three years now. It is a great wee area and I like living here… my neighbours are nice and in general the residents are considerate, friendly and pleasant too.
But is seems to me that Westfield is being dragged down to gutter-level by a small group / groups of teenagers who roam the streets, drunk and unchecked at the weekends and during school holidays. They want us all to live in a ghetto.
The vandalism, graffitti and underage drinking is a disgrace, and as for the thought that airguns are now being used… well, what can you say? It is not acceptable and it is up to the residents of Westfield to do something about it.
A lot of the time I would worry about calling the police as I’d feel I was “wasting their time”, and also the fact that they wouldn’t get here in time to do anything anyway… But having spoken to them recently regarding the airgun incident they have urged us to do just that – report the crimes, disturbances and general public nuisance so that it is logged and recorded.
If we can get more police officers in the area then hopefully they can get a hold of the few troublemakers that are ruining the area for all of us. If they are rounded up and taken home/to the cells at every opportunity then perhaps this will encourage them to stop this behaviour and/or force their parents to take responsibility for their offspring?
At the end of the day that is what it is all about: Responsibility – as a community and “society” we can only take responsibility for so much, at the end of the day it is down to the family and the individual to deal with this behaviour… so let’s make the most of the power and options that are available to our community: report ALL crimes and vandalism to the local police. Don’t tolerate this any more. Perhaps this will then put pressure on these people and their parents to take the responsibility for their own actions and make Westfield somewhere we can all be proud to call home.