SCORES of police descended on a Southampton estate in a bid to cut down on anti-social behaviour and illegal motorbike riding.

Taking to the streets of Millbrook, police officers in the area patrolled for hours, keeping their eyes peeled for any crimes being committed.

The Daily Echo joined PC Simon Peacock of the Southampton West Neighbourhood Policing team on Friday as he and the rest of his team conducted a flashmob operation.

Stopping off at known hotspots, officers engaged with community members to provide reassurance and cut down on crime.

The operation was mainly targeted at parts of the Millbrook estate and saw police vehicles patrolling Windermere Avenue, Mansel Park, Kendal Avenue, and roads in between.

The team also visited businesses in the area including McDonald's, Sainsbury's, and corner shops, where "young people are known to gather and cause trouble".

PC Peacock said: "I try and get one flashmob in a month. Everybody says they want to see a presence."

When asked what area they covered during the flasmob, he added: "It is a mix of your own feeling and what is happening the day before. The park is usually where the motorbikes go."

The operation can be conducted with as little as five officers, but the more officers they have at their disposal, the bigger the area they can cover.

PC Peacock said how just months before, a member of the public had informed them of motorbikes being dumped among the trees in a wooded area.

Heading to the spot near Southampton General Hospital he discovered a mat which he believed had been used to cover up stolen motorbikes, as well as crushed greenery where bikes had been placed and a burned tree where "something had clearly been set on fire".

He later visited another known spot bordering the M271 near Redbridge Community School.

At the site he found discarded bike parts, which he said have likely been taken apart to be sold for parts before being dumped.

“There’s plenty of carcases of old bikes down there where they will set fire to them, dismantle them. It’s hidden, it’s out the way."

Appealing to the public for information, he added: “That’s the sort of information we really love to get.

"If you see them come down here, tell us - we can direct our patrols down here.”

Despite this, the force has seen a reduction in motorcycle-related crimes after using more “aggressive tactics”.

Having worked closely with schools in the area, PC Peacock used his in-depth knowledge of the area's youths to identify known troublemakers and keep an eye on them.

At one point, the officer clocked a group of teenagers loitering on a Millbrook street corner.

He later revealed he knew all the names of the individuals involved.

On another occasion, he passed a group of youths near Mansel Park, who repeatedly waved at the car, clearly recognising the familiar face.

PC Peacock added: “The 14 to 16 group. They’re the ones that come up the most.

"Anyone between 16 and 12 but 14 to 15 is our persistent group."

Bringing the operation to an end on Friday evening, PC Peacock said: “We didn’t encounter any reported crimes which is some measure of success to what we’ve done.

“I can’t claim it’s because of the operation that nothing happened tonight.

"But I like to think that the amount of times people will have seen us, visible, on patrol out in the Millbrook area, that would be nothing but reassuring that we are out there.

“We have listened to them about where hotspots are about where incidents are happening and we are out looking and out hunting for criminality and anti-social behaviour.”

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