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Original poster

Is this gang thing happening in your Town Centre?

199 replies

GangsinTown · 21/02/2023 23:34

I’m really concerned. There are gangs of young people dressed in black with hoods and caps that are frequently in our Town Centre going into McDonalds and KFC late at night trashing the place for no reason. I’m talking throwing tables and chairs, smashing windows creating as much carnage as possible.

My son works at McD’s and this has happened twice in the last month. His friend who works on the other side of town in KFC has also experienced this. It’s just happened again tonight and my son’s manager was punched in the face whilst pushing a thug out to lock the door to protect people inside. Customers are terrified asking to hide behind the counter.

He said it happens everywhere because these are young teens (under 16) who think they’re untouchable from the law because of their age, they record it on their phones then post it all over social media - mainly Tik Tok for kudos.

I’m now terrified for my son going to work. We live in a small town, it’s not a large or capital city where maybe you’d expect higher crimes rates.

OP posts:
Original poster
GangsinTown · 21/02/2023 23:42

I just can’t believe this is now the society we live in

OP posts:
BillLius · 21/02/2023 23:44

Which town is it?

Underminer · 21/02/2023 23:47

The vast majority of young people are wonderful. Some are caught up in gangs with TikTok dares, likes, wanting instant gratification without a care in the world as the punishment isn’t a deterrent.

Lots of these things are happening all over, not just in big cities. The wannabe gangsters round here would shit themselves if they came across an inner city gang.

There should be training on what to do if there is an incident, usually it is that your life is far more precious than tables and chairs so keep away when it happens. Alert the police etc

Original poster
GangsinTown · 21/02/2023 23:48

BillLius · 21/02/2023 23:44

Which town is it?

Cwmbran South Wales

OP posts:
MelonFarmer · 21/02/2023 23:53

There has been a dispersal order around one of the KFCs in these parts for similar reasons.
I suspect it’s mostly because it’s open, well lit and somewhere to make a nuisance of themselves in the absence of anywhere else to go. I don’t know if it goes on Tik Tok, wouldn’t surprise me.
my mother would have disowned me if I’d been as much of a pain in the arse as this lot are.

pigsinoodies · 21/02/2023 23:53

BillLius · 21/02/2023 23:44

Which town is it?

It's happening all over. Boundaries have just disappeared over the last few years and the police aren't there on the street any more.

A lot of this used to be suppressed by the half-generation above - their older peers. For various reasons that doesn't happen nowadays in most areas.

JMSA · 21/02/2023 23:55

Fucking scumbags. I've always said that I'd rather my kids worked in a pub than MacDonalds.
Fair play to your son and I hope he is ok SadStar

Original poster
GangsinTown · 22/02/2023 00:01

JMSA · 21/02/2023 23:55

Fucking scumbags. I've always said that I'd rather my kids worked in a pub than MacDonalds.
Fair play to your son and I hope he is ok SadStar

So do I, his shift finished at 11 and he said he was getting a lift home with a colleague. It’s only 10 minute drive and he’s not answering his phone. He’s only 17 🥲 I’m worried sick

OP posts:
MintJulia · 22/02/2023 00:12

No, I haven't seen that here. Our MacDonalds is constantly busy, and less than a mile from the police station.

If anyone tried to cause that sort of trouble, they'd be lynched by all the parents waiting to collect their kids' suppers. The police would be faced with a mass brawl. 😄

JMSA · 22/02/2023 00:13

@GangsinTown

Oh my goodness, you poor thing! I'm sure he'll turn up safe and well soon. Please keep me posted Flowers

EmmaEmerald · 22/02/2023 00:17

I think so

I know one girl working in McDonald's in a town centre in the south west. She sys it happens about twice a week, for filming. They hired security and it's got better but not stopped. She has said it's a thing fuelled by social media and is happening in a lot of places.

BruhWhy · 22/02/2023 00:28

Yes here too, but they'd be chuffed at being called a gang, the wetwipes.

They're all about 13-14 with badman London roadman accents and a home-done perm.

Antisocial behaviour from this age group has become so bad there was a local Facebook group created for local parents. Wanna know what the most common type of post is? I'll generalise:

"Don't you dare blame my lovely 12yo Alfie/Harry/Kai for pushing that granny over last night! Yes they all uploaded a video of him doing it and yes the police have spoken to him but he's a GOOD BOY 🤬 I've taken away all his vapes what more do you want from me?!"

It's got to the point I won't let my own 12 year old do the half hour walk home from school because I'm terrified he'll get jumped. Parents have given up parenting.

GoldilockMom · 22/02/2023 07:31

BruhWhy I wish I could like your post!

Happened here last week and yes there was a FB post about it.

M - are recruiting here - and have been for weeks - there’s a reason for this clearly.

They managed to hire security during Covid so why have they stopped?

Has he come home? He may have decompressed with a colleague!

Lasttraintolondon · 22/02/2023 07:32

South East - happened here in the shopping centre. No police station, no police, no consequences. It'll get worse.

TobeLeRone · 22/02/2023 07:38

It’s happening in some towns in N Yorks too.
There’s a local group of thugs who are all
known to the police, but the police won’t do anything about it.
It all kicked off in covid lockdown, and has escalated since then.

I’m sure the police could do something - the whole area is not plagued with crime, but there are certain areas which you now stay away from or risk being mugged or (if you’re stopped at traffic lights) have stuff thrown at your car.

StonwEd · 22/02/2023 07:38

This is so frightening. My 17 yo works in a mcdonalds and he's not experienced anything like this. We're in a small town but not that small, and despite always saying I want to move somewhere more exciting just last night I was coming to terms with the fact it is actually just lovely here. I'm not saying it doesn't have little buggers but nothing like I'm hearing here 😕
10 miles down the road where I work however, very very different story and this kind of thing happens everywhere. Including a stabbing in broad daylight in the town centre last week 😭

PingPongPoo · 22/02/2023 07:43

@GangsinTown it's awful behaviour, @BruhWhy has got it spot on!

Hope your son got back ok Smile

Icantbelieveitsnot · 22/02/2023 07:46

It happening here too (South East). They have now moved on from McDonald's/KFC to terrorise Hobbycraft of all places, so Hobbycraft now has security guards.😯

donttellmehesalive · 22/02/2023 07:46

Yes here too. There's no deterrent is there. Police won't attend, staff and general public are (understandably) scared to confront, if parents find out they don't care, even at school similar behaviours are not addressed properly - expulsion is virtually unheard of now. We need to push for police to be better resourced, parents to be held accountable and schools to be able to expel. They might be terrorising McDs for ten minutes but somebody somewhere has the job of trying to teach them about Shakespeare and oxbow lakes.

bananamilkyum · 22/02/2023 07:47

Don't live there now but happened in Coventry a lot. Including stabbing a.

Wine4whine · 22/02/2023 07:49

@Icantbelieveitsnot I'm from the same area as you! It's vile isn't it. The top end of the high st is like the wild west now!

thegrandolddukeofpork · 22/02/2023 07:51

BruhWhy · 22/02/2023 00:28

Yes here too, but they'd be chuffed at being called a gang, the wetwipes.

They're all about 13-14 with badman London roadman accents and a home-done perm.

Antisocial behaviour from this age group has become so bad there was a local Facebook group created for local parents. Wanna know what the most common type of post is? I'll generalise:

"Don't you dare blame my lovely 12yo Alfie/Harry/Kai for pushing that granny over last night! Yes they all uploaded a video of him doing it and yes the police have spoken to him but he's a GOOD BOY 🤬 I've taken away all his vapes what more do you want from me?!"

It's got to the point I won't let my own 12 year old do the half hour walk home from school because I'm terrified he'll get jumped. Parents have given up parenting.

Bingo

MissyB1 · 22/02/2023 07:54

I saw similar on Saturday evening, we had actually just eaten in Nando’s, but McDonald’s is nearby and we had to walk past. I could see young teens, about 13/14 kicking off. Luckily I also saw a police van speeding towards them.
And my 14 year old ds wonders why I won’t let him wander around town in the evening?!! 🤦‍♀️

gogohmm · 22/02/2023 07:55

We've had a few issues with the teens here, so someone made a board with all the photos of the culprits and hung it up in the middle of town - the problems stopped and the went back to smoking week down by the river. Police didn't notice the mugshot board for weeks! (Then took it down apparently naming and shaming isnt legal)

sst1234 · 22/02/2023 07:56

First, we should give their parents a medal. I’m sure they are salt of the earth types with a victim story. Everyone’s a victim nowadays, you know.

Next, we should applaud the police for being so hot on non-crime scene hate incidents. It’s important to sit there and police Facebook and twitter and turn up to some dude’s house like the SAS if someone complains about his social media post. Masked gangs trashing businesses and assaulting people….nah, who cares.

Worrying about this stuff is so last century and non-progressive.