Grimsby residents are terrified that they will be a victim to crime and have begun to board up their homes.
Residents of Macauley Street claim they feel unsafe because of the ‘terrible crime situation’.
One pensioner, who has lived in the street for almost 50 years, has spoken out to reveal how a thug smashed her windows three years ago.
She says she will keep the plywood boards up on her property, as she fears that her windows could be smashed into again if she removes them.
‘It cost me £100 to board it up and I have left it as it was because I don’t ever want my window being smashed in ever again,’ said the pensioner, who has not been named.
It has been like this for three years. I have lived there for 47 years. I am too old now to get involved with what happens in the street.
It comes as police discovered a large haul of cannabis during a search of a property on the street – where average property prices are less than £50,000.
Residents reported that white gloves-clad men in masks attempted to enter a house in the middle of the night. Officers responded quickly.
After her windows were smashed into by a thug, three years ago, the pensioner said she had boards installed on her Grimsby home at Macauley Street.
One pensioner claimed she heard bangs at 11.45pm, but they were not fireworks.
“I looked out and saw a white-gloved man at the back.
“I called 999 because it seemed like the place was being burgled, and there were other nearby.” She said that there were five of them.
She said, “The police were there immediately and looked around and discovered it was choc-abloc with cannabis plants.
‘They were there all night and most of Saturday too. We are not told what happened, and the scene was left as it was, rather than boarded up.
“All those who lived there will have keys, so they could return at any time. We are all worried.”
According to the woman, the landlord had locked the house to stop an evicted tenant from gaining access to it.
The man then allegedly returned to his home each night using a ladder to climb through an upstairs window.
Neighbors were fed up with the danger to their property and climbed the ladder.
According to the pensioner, residents had often alerted police officers and community leaders about their safety concerns in their neighborhood.
She said, “It is terrible living around here at the moment.”
“We have seen CCTV cameras go up on Haycroft Avenue, near the subway, and on Bemrose Way and Chantry Lane. There is also one on Macaulay Way.
“But it is pointing in the opposite direction and doesn’t cover Macaulay street. No camera does. We don’t feel safe.
A young mother described how she had lived on the streets for five-years and had seen crime every week.
It’s something you see all the time. It can become a concern,’ she said.
On Friday, police discovered a large haul of cannabis during a search of a property on the street – where average property prices are less than £50,000
Residents claim that CCTV cameras were installed on nearby roads but do not point towards Macaulay street.
A Humberside Police spokesperson stated that officers were dispatched to investigate reports of disturbances at a Grimsby property on Macaulay Street at 11.15pm on Friday October 29.
“Upon arriving officers discovered large amounts of cannabis growing throughout the property.
“It is believed two unknown men tried to gain access to a building and fled the scene soon after.
“Officers are appealing to anyone with information that may have seen anybody acting suspiciously around the area at the time the incident occurred or know the individuals involved to contact them on our non-emergency 101 number quoting investigation referral 16/107036/21. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 112