Birstall residents urge Kirklees Council to improve the security of the town.
Following several incidents been reported around drug crimes and violent crimes within Birstall, another hit was given to the community as well known butcher shop, Haggarts Family Butchers was broken into during early hours of Friday morning.
The manager of the shop, Dean Warsnop, stated the following, “they went inside the shop and stole money from our charity box, our charity box is for a children’s charity, if anything this shows the values these people have.”
Warsnop pleaded with the council to step up the security for small business owners saying, “There is a camera straight across my shop, but whenever its broken into I’m told the camera is facing the opposite direction, why isn’t it pointed at the shops?”
Warsop further states when speaking on the council, “Do more. This is a time when small business need support.”
Birstall Councillor, Mark Thompson commented on Birstall’s crime rate stating, “I don’t think its better or worse than national crime statistics.”
“Burglaries have risen slightly, but this always happens during the summer months during school holidays etc but its no more than national average” said Thompson.
One resident of Birstall stated, “I’ve heard of this sort of thing happening around Birstall but I’ve never witnessed anything, I feel pretty safe.”
Finn Goodhall, 18, of Birstall said, “I don’t feel safe in Birstall anymore, it’s nothing like how my parents used to describe it and some people have no respect for anything here.”
The burglary of the Haggarts Family Butchers follows a motorbike been stolen in August.
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