TRAVELLERS took over a town leaving children in fear – with locals claiming rocks were being hurled at their homes.
The group of around 20 caravans and motorhomes arrived in seaside resort town of Littlehampton, West Sussex, last Sunday.
Eddie MitchellPolice officers at the Tesco car park on Wednesday[/caption]
Eddie MitchellSeveral Traveller caravans and motorhomes in the supermarket carpark[/caption]
Eddie MitchellThe Travellers claim they are waiting for more of their group to arrive before they leave[/caption]
Residents claim houses were stoned, children threatened, shopkeepers terrorised, food stolen from trolleys and attempts made to get into other vehicles.
The group parked up at a Tesco superstore on Broad Piece in the town’s Wick area after being moved from a nearby site by police.
The group initially gathered five minutes down the road in Rosemead Park, owned by Adur District Council, on the edge of a still in-development housing estate.
Some residents have called for the local authority to put more preventative measures in place.
Cops served the Travellers notice after three days before they moved to the supermarket.
Officers then received reports of criminal behaviour on Thursday and “enacted legislation for the the travellers to leave”, according to Sergeant Molly O’Malley.
Local resident Sally Lee said her husband chased away a group of kids outside her home.
She told The Sun: “We did have stones thrown at the house and my husband chased them off.
“Some of them are nice but you always get ones that want to cause trouble.”
Lawrence King, 34, an office manager said: “You see them rocking up everywhere.
“Thankfully, they haven’t left much mess this time. It’s when they come and trash the place that it’s a problem.
“Nobody wants their back yard destroyed.”
After the clan left the park, the council said in a post on social media: “Following enforcement action the unauthorised encampment at Rosemead Park has now departed.
“Sussex Police issued a notice requiring the occupants to leave the site by 10am today (Wednesday, April 9), using their statutory powers in response to reported concerns.
“Town council representatives have since inspected the park and confirmed that the area has been vacated. The site has been checked and is now clean and open for public use.
“We are currently collaborating with Boklok to install temporary concrete barriers within the next few days as an immediate security measure.
“Work on more permanent preventative solutions will follow in due course.”
The council said it is currently Tesco’s “responsibility to instigate the appropriate action” as it is private land.
The council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that travellers have moved to the car park at Tesco, Littlehampton.
“As this is private land it will be Tesco’s responsibility to instigate the appropriate action.”
A man who claimed to speak for the group told The Sun on Thursday they were waiting for a few more vans to arrive at the Tesco before they planned to move to a new location.
Sergeant O’Malley at Sussex Police later said in relation to officers subsequently going to the car park: “We acted as swiftly as we could and thank the public for calling in as they really are our eyes and ears.
“We empathise with the residents, shoppers and businesses impacted by this antisocial and criminal behaviour.
“We took positive action and quickly enacted legislation for the travellers to leave.
“We will investigate any reports made to us, based on the evidence available.”
It’s understood the caravans and other vehicles have all left the supermarket.
Tesco did not wish to comment when approached by the Sun.
Sally Lee said rocks were thrown at her home and her husband chased some kids away
Local officer worker Lawrence King
Eddie MitchellThe Travellers have taken over a section of the car park[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
