Police praised for crime blitz in Sheffield city centre

Last week, five arrests were made in the Haymarket area as Sheffield’s new ‘serious violent crime taskforce’ teamed up with neighbourhood officers to tackle tackle crime, drugs and anti-social behaviour.

APPEAL: Dad launches desperate appeal to find attackers who left son for dead in brutal Doncaster town centre assault

Arrests were made for offences including burglary, common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

CRIME: Two men in hospital after double stabbing at Tube station

Officers also searched 31 people, recovering two knives and issuing a number of cannabis warnings and cautions.

LATEST: Teenage boy due in court accused of murdering teaching assistant

Inspector John Mallows, from the Central and North West Neighbourhood Team, said police activity has been concentrated around Haymarket, King Street and Angel Street because of ‘very real concerns from businesses and the public about anti-social behaviour, drug dealing and drug use’.

The area is currently undergoing redevelopment and South Yorkshire Police said the force needs to ‘get a grip on certain issues’ to help the re-birth of the area.

New CCTV cameras for the area have been secured and an ‘anti-social behaviour and crime liaison group’ has been set up to meet once a week to raise issues with officers.

Posting on Facebook, Darren Hoing said: “It's good to finally see a police presence around that area and also up on High Street.

“It was getting to the point where It was extremely intimidating being verbally pestered every morning, woman with children getting harassed every morning while waiting for buses and the shop staff as well, who are clearly fed up with it all. Long may the police presence continue.”

Ann Dawson added: “It's been a no go area for years around Castle Market particularly when the big market was down there.

“I used to work on Broad Street West and go up to Fargate every lunchtime. I retired almost 10 years ago and if I've been into Sheffield city centre five times since that's pushing it. Sheffield city centre is a disgrace and I'm ashamed of my place of birth.”

Patrick John Cawkwell added: “Thank goodness, it’s been a problem for ages. I am to stop working in Sheffield shortly and I'll not be sad to see the back of this.”

Kian Stevens said: “It's a horrible part of town and it makes you feel genuinely unsafe walking through it all, especially Haymarket.

Angela Wragg said: “It should never have been allowed to get this bad.”