City shops voice despair over thefts and broken glass spree
Neville Makani, a staff member at Colman News, is among the traders frustrated with ASB in Colman Road - Credit: Archant
Traders are fed up with groups of youths attempting to steal items and causing havoc by leaving smashed glass in a city road.
Shops at the junction of The Avenues and Colman Road have been plagued with anti-social behaviour in recent weeks.
Raja Mahendran, a staff member at the Corner Stores convenience store said: "Kids are buying glass cola bottles and I have to clean the smashed glass from the pavement afterwards.
"There are quite a lot of teenage boys hanging around as it is a big housing area.
Raja Mahendran, a staff member at Corner Stores convenience store - Credit: Ben Hardy
"When a single person comes in to the store it is fine, but when they are in groups it is more of an issue."
It comes as homeowners in The Avenues area also had to move on a group of youths earlier this week after they were allegedly throwing glass and knocking over communal bins.
One trader, who did not wish to be identified, also said police visited her following a break-in at St Anne's Crossroads church in Colman Road on Wednesday asking for any CCTV footage.
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Neville Makani, a staff member at Colman News said he has had multiple instances of kids trying to steal vapes from the convenience store.
Neville Makani, who works at Colman News in Norwich - Credit: Ben Hardy
He has reported one individual who was caught trying to make off with a vape in his pocket to the police.
Mr Makani said: "We have two people working here. I do the morning shifts and I will catch the same kids who will try it again with the other worker in the evening.
"It is frustrating. I saw one kid literally take a vape and run off in front of my own eyes but I could not catch him."
The convenience store has security cameras throughout the shop.
Norwich City Council is set to spend almost £1m improving social housing and fire escapes. Pictured, the parade of shops on Colman Road. Photo: Steve Adams
May Chen, who works at the Sing Lung Hong oriental supermarket next to Colman News, said she has noticed issues with broken glass left in the car park.
She added: "I had to sweep up one or two broken bottles but I did not see the people who did it.
"Someone also damaged my car wingmirror when I was parked outside the shop but I am not sure what happened."
