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Mosquito devices could be silenced
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| Traders Michila Lomas and Lee Welch in Reynolds Way |
MOSQUITO devices designed to tackle antisocial behaviour could be switched off after concerns by police.
The device emits an irritating frequency which only young people can hear, encouraging them to disperse.
Devices have been used in Chipping Norton, Abingdon and Didcot and praised for cutting yobbish behaviour. But police now want to set limits on their use.
Moves to switch off the devices have been backed by Oxford West and Abingdon MP Evan Harris and Children's Commissioner Sir Albert Aynsley-Green.
Thames Valley Assistant Chief Constable Nick Gargan said: "We are aware that Mosquito devices have been used to good effect to target antisocial behaviour and minor crime caused by some young people.
"However, we are concerned about the indiscriminate nature of these devices, caused by creating an unpleasant noise audible only to people below adult age.
"We will therefore create guidance to specify the limited types of scenario where these devices could be used."
Oxfordshire's first mosquito device, put up outside the Co-op store in Chipping Norton, was removed at the end of last year.
Mosquitos remain in place at the Co-op in Lostock Place, Didcot, and outside shops in Reynolds Way, Abingdon.
Police believe the Reynolds Way Mosquito has cut crime by 50 per cent.
Sir Albert has claimed the devices are an infringement of the rights of children and young people and called for them to be banned.
He said: "I am very encouraged that Thames Valley Police is taking a stand against the use of the Mosquito device.
"However, I would like to see these devices banned completely. There is no scenario in which the targeting of young people in this manner is acceptable."
Michila Lomas, of Design a Cut, in Reynolds Way, Abingdon, said: "We've had no trouble recently. If the police are to discontinue them then hopefully they won't advertise it, otherwise the kids would all know and come back."
5:54pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Jeff, Didcot on 7:37pm Wed 7 May 08
Quote: "However, I would like to see these devices banned completely. There is no scenario in which the targeting of young people in this manner is acceptable.".....
What total ****!! This idiot needs to shut up. If it stops the chavs from their retarded behaviour then the mosquito should be encouraged and used more widely. Its the soft "rights infringement" attitude of this type of person which has lead to the type of society we have today. If he wants these banned thats up to him, but he'd better not complain when the decent people of this country decide to get up and use their own methods to rid the streets of the scum that inhabit them now .
Quote: "However, I would like to see these devices banned completely. There is no scenario in which the targeting of young people in this manner is acceptable.".....
What total ****!! This idiot needs to shut up. If it stops the chavs from their retarded behaviour then the mosquito should be encouraged and used more widely. Its the soft "rights infringement" attitude of this type of person which has lead to the type of society we have today. If he wants these banned thats up to him, but he'd better not complain when the decent people of this country decide to get up and use their own methods to rid the streets of the scum that inhabit them now .
Posted by: Andrew, Wallingford on 8:42pm Wed 7 May 08
100% agree with Jeff (although I thought the vigilantly stuff was a bit on the harsh side!). We surely have a very basic right to go about our legitimate daily business without having to put up with disgusting and violent behavior on a regular basis. The mosquito devices don't actually cause any harm, they are just unpleasant. A young person who legitimately wants to pass through the area will suffer the minutest amount of discomfort, but will not be harmed in any way. A young person who wishes to loiter and shout abuse at me and throw chips at me will be discouraged from doing so because of an irritating sound. GOOD!!! I honestly want one on the side of my house to disperse the hooligans writing graffiti and sitting on my garden wall at two in the morning. I could (and do) call the police but it seems that despite the vast sums of council tax (and every other tax) I pay, they are too under-resourced to do anything about it (am not implying it is their fault - it is ridiculous how understaffed they are). Ask them to stop and they hurle abuse at me and make me fear for my own life. I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS (well I do I suppose, but you know what I mean! - I shouldn't have to!). To those against the mosquito device, I say go out and teach these yobs some respect yourselves and show them that what they do is unacceptable and get them to stop by using YOUR cushy yet-to-show any sign of working methods. PROVE to us that there is no need for the mosquito device... Then and only then will you have a real case against the mosquito devices.
100% agree with Jeff (although I thought the vigilantly stuff was a bit on the harsh side!). We surely have a very basic right to go about our legitimate daily business without having to put up with disgusting and violent behavior on a regular basis. The mosquito devices don't actually cause any harm, they are just unpleasant. A young person who legitimately wants to pass through the area will suffer the minutest amount of discomfort, but will not be harmed in any way. A young person who wishes to loiter and shout abuse at me and throw chips at me will be discouraged from doing so because of an irritating sound. GOOD!!! I honestly want one on the side of my house to disperse the hooligans writing graffiti and sitting on my garden wall at two in the morning. I could (and do) call the police but it seems that despite the vast sums of council tax (and every other tax) I pay, they are too under-resourced to do anything about it (am not implying it is their fault - it is ridiculous how understaffed they are). Ask them to stop and they hurle abuse at me and make me fear for my own life. I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS (well I do I suppose, but you know what I mean! - I shouldn't have to!). To those against the mosquito device, I say go out and teach these yobs some respect yourselves and show them that what they do is unacceptable and get them to stop by using YOUR cushy yet-to-show any sign of working methods. PROVE to us that there is no need for the mosquito device... Then and only then will you have a real case against the mosquito devices.
Posted by: Nicola, Bicester on 9:54pm Wed 7 May 08
Mosquito products available to buy:
http://www.personala
larms.com/store/erol
.html#1X0
Mosquito products available to buy:
http://www.personala
larms.com/store/erol
.html#1X0
Posted by: Andrew, Wallingford on 10:15pm Wed 7 May 08
FANTASTIC!!! Thanks for that Nicola... I had no idea you could actually buy these things. I'll have to figure out a way of concealing it though if I don't want bricks through my windows on a regular basis! Anybody got any ideas?
FANTASTIC!!! Thanks for that Nicola... I had no idea you could actually buy these things. I'll have to figure out a way of concealing it though if I don't want bricks through my windows on a regular basis! Anybody got any ideas?
Posted by: Lucy, Abingdon on 10:20pm Wed 7 May 08
The problem with the mosquitoes is that they are indiscriminate, they can be heard by any young person, the vast majority of which are doing absolutely nothing wrong. The alarms only serve in moving the problem away to another area. What will they do is this other area? Install another mosquito? Install a mosquito anywhere there is civilisation because young people cant be trusted to behave? Its an utterly lazy tactic by the autorities to target antisocial behaviour. Also they can be bought by anyone (as you can see by the last post) and put up anywhere, causing no annoyance to older people who have installed it, but giving a non-stop attack on younger people, most of whom will just be passing by minding their own business. The effect on babies is not researched yet. The effect on animals is not researched yet. There are so many cons to mosquito alarms its quite plain to see they are not the right choice. And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.
The problem with the mosquitoes is that they are indiscriminate, they can be heard by any young person, the vast majority of which are doing absolutely nothing wrong. The alarms only serve in moving the problem away to another area. What will they do is this other area? Install another mosquito? Install a mosquito anywhere there is civilisation because young people cant be trusted to behave? Its an utterly lazy tactic by the autorities to target antisocial behaviour. Also they can be bought by anyone (as you can see by the last post) and put up anywhere, causing no annoyance to older people who have installed it, but giving a non-stop attack on younger people, most of whom will just be passing by minding their own business. The effect on babies is not researched yet. The effect on animals is not researched yet. There are so many cons to mosquito alarms its quite plain to see they are not the right choice. And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.
Posted by: Jock, Headington on 10:45pm Wed 7 May 08
Of course such indiscriminate nature also means they don't just target people "below adult age" - what rubbish. Some people up to their mid-twenties can hear apparently.
It would be interesting to know the true figures of crime and what it may cost say the shops in lost trade. If it has cut the number of people shoplifting a strawberry mojo from two to one but ten good kids no longer want to come in and buy their £3 collectors stickers packs who is winning this war?
Of course such indiscriminate nature also means they don't just target people "below adult age" - what rubbish. Some people up to their mid-twenties can hear apparently.
It would be interesting to know the true figures of crime and what it may cost say the shops in lost trade. If it has cut the number of people shoplifting a strawberry mojo from two to one but ten good kids no longer want to come in and buy their £3 collectors stickers packs who is winning this war?
Posted by: anon, Didcot on 10:46pm Wed 7 May 08
With any luck Lucy, they are dispersed back to their homes where they can vandalise their own homes and show whoever is supposed to be in charge of them what foul dangerous little oinks they are.
You are probably right in that it is a lazy option, but all I know is that before where I felt intimidated by packs of unruly animal-like creatures throwing rubbish at me as I walk past, I can now go and buy food and other necessities without any problems. Being rude to me is one thing, but how dare they intimidate my elderly mother!? I don't really care that a small number of innocent young people are being inconvenienced by the device... it seems to actually WORK... unlike whatever it is that you are suggesting.
With any luck Lucy, they are dispersed back to their homes where they can vandalise their own homes and show whoever is supposed to be in charge of them what foul dangerous little oinks they are.
You are probably right in that it is a lazy option, but all I know is that before where I felt intimidated by packs of unruly animal-like creatures throwing rubbish at me as I walk past, I can now go and buy food and other necessities without any problems. Being rude to me is one thing, but how dare they intimidate my elderly mother!? I don't really care that a small number of innocent young people are being inconvenienced by the device... it seems to actually WORK... unlike whatever it is that you are suggesting.
Posted by: Lucy, Abingdon on 10:56pm Wed 7 May 08
Alright, I've got a better idea. A weapon thats 97% effective in stopping the annoyance of these idiot children. Rubbish parents; wear a condom.
Alright, I've got a better idea. A weapon thats 97% effective in stopping the annoyance of these idiot children. Rubbish parents; wear a condom.
Posted by: Jeff, Didcot on 9:01am Thu 8 May 08
[quote][bold]Lucy[/bold] wrote:
The problem with the mosquitoes is that they are indiscriminate, they can be heard by any young person, the vast majority of which are doing absolutely nothing wrong. The alarms only serve in moving the problem away to another area. What will they do is this other area? Install another mosquito? Install a mosquito anywhere there is civilisation because young people cant be trusted to behave? Its an utterly lazy tactic by the autorities to target antisocial behaviour. Also they can be bought by anyone (as you can see by the last post) and put up anywhere, causing no annoyance to older people who have installed it, but giving a non-stop attack on younger people, most of whom will just be passing by minding their own business. The effect on babies is not researched yet. The effect on animals is not researched yet. There are so many cons to mosquito alarms its quite plain to see they are not the right choice. And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.[/quote] [quote]And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.[/quote]
I'm sorry Lucy but it IS a soft attitude. I know this is generalising a bit, and that not all kids are bad, but its the tw ats with baseball caps and BMX bikes and the chav uniform that need sorting out. If they don't want to be treated like animals then they shouldn't behave like animals should they ? If wild animals cause problems they are culled - this lot get a ridiculous childrens commissioner to "protect their rights" instead. As far as I am concerned if they disrupt other peoples lives they lose their rights straight away.
Lucy wrote:
The problem with the mosquitoes is that they are indiscriminate, they can be heard by any young person, the vast majority of which are doing absolutely nothing wrong. The alarms only serve in moving the problem away to another area. What will they do is this other area? Install another mosquito? Install a mosquito anywhere there is civilisation because young people cant be trusted to behave? Its an utterly lazy tactic by the autorities to target antisocial behaviour. Also they can be bought by anyone (as you can see by the last post) and put up anywhere, causing no annoyance to older people who have installed it, but giving a non-stop attack on younger people, most of whom will just be passing by minding their own business. The effect on babies is not researched yet. The effect on animals is not researched yet. There are so many cons to mosquito alarms its quite plain to see they are not the right choice. And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.
And its not a 'soft attitude' from the children's commisioner, young people know little enough about their rights as it is without the older generations treating them like animals and sticking up low level sonic weapons to disperse them.
I'm sorry Lucy but it IS a soft attitude. I know this is generalising a bit, and that not all kids are bad, but its the tw ats with baseball caps and BMX bikes and the chav uniform that need sorting out. If they don't want to be treated like animals then they shouldn't behave like animals should they ? If wild animals cause problems they are culled - this lot get a ridiculous childrens commissioner to "protect their rights" instead. As far as I am concerned if they disrupt other peoples lives they lose their rights straight away.
Posted by: Jonathon, Banbury on 11:37am Fri 9 May 08
Jeff - you just coined my thoughts exactly - behave like an animal, then expect to be treated like one.
Jeff - you just coined my thoughts exactly - behave like an animal, then expect to be treated like one.
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