Dundee residents have complained of sleepless nights and intimidation due to anti-social behaviour at the hands of boy racers.
People living near the Tesco Extra in Charleston say their lives are being made a misery by groups of drivers loitering in the supermarket car park.
Locals have complained of loud blasting engines every night, with police doing little to control the situation.
They said the group is mostly males aged 18 to 30 and the issues often go on until after midnight.
Councillors have also heard separate complaints of “intimidation” within the store, with staff experiencing threatening behaviour.
But police say they are working with partners to put measures in place to deter and identify the individuals responsible.
‘Like living at Knockhill’
One concerned South Road resident claims the issues have brought considerable stress on them and their family.
They said: “Every single night they have car meets up there, revving engines and popping the exhausts.
“I’ve called the police every night this week and last week.
“It’s like living at Knockhill. It’s a nightmare, an absolute nightmare.
“I woke up one night and thought we were getting bombed – it was that loud.”
The resident claimed they had two outstanding complaints against police after allegedly calling up and being told they were not obliged to attend the incident.
“Every time we phoned the police, they’ve never attended to speak to us,” they said.
“They do go sometimes but we’ve also been told they attended but we can see there’s none there.
“I’m fed up of phoning – it’s a waste of time but I want it logged.
“I’m always scared to phone up, I’m scared they’ll laugh at us or not bother.
“I always request them to visit the house to make a report but they never do.”
‘Numerous’ complaints
A neighbour with terminal illnesses has also reported sleepless nights due to the noise.
The resident said the area was a peaceful place to live until the anti-social behaviour started.
“I’ve never had any bother here at all,” they added.
“I’ve lived here for over 10 years and have never had to deal with this.
“I’ve never had to call the police before now.”
Local councillor Charlie Malone and Joe Fitzpatrick MSP have received “numerous” complaints from residents and attempted to liaise with local authorities and Tesco management to diffuse the situation.
SNP MSP for Dundee West Joe FitzPatrick said: “After meeting with the manager at Tesco South Road, at her request, to discuss the challenges they are experiencing, I sought advice from Police Scotland and the Council’s anti-social behaviour team.
“Police Scotland have confirmed that in addition to targeted action they have already taken in relation to the vehicle issues, they will continue to liaise with the store to try to find shared solutions to the range of issues identified.”
He added: “I am assured that discussions are also taking place with the community safety team and the local youth officer.
“It appears that there are two largely separate issues, in terms of concerns about noise from vehicles gathering in the car park as opposed to teenagers within the store allegedly misbehaving.
“Clearly the kind of behaviour that has been described is not acceptable. It is concerning for local residents on South Road and also intimidating for those shopping or working at Tesco.”
‘Reckless behaviour’
Local councillor Charlie Malone said: “I have been contacted by residents concerned about the ongoing anti-social behaviour issues around Tesco Charleston.
“Reckless behaviour by joy riders in the car park which goes beyond midnight is significantly impacting on the well-being of vulnerable residents in the area and threatening behaviour is being encountered by staff.
“I met with the manager of the store who has tried to work to resolve the issues which are clearly something Police Scotland need to investigate.
“The manager explained that the company would be keen to work with local community groups to help enhance opportunities in the area for activities which I am following up with community officers.
“But clearly there are issues that are affecting the quality of life of residents in the area that needs to be addressed by the authorities.”
Police confirmed they are working to address the anti-social issues at the Charleston Tesco.
Chief Inspector Ross Fitzgerald, area commander for Dundee, said: “We are aware of concerns around ongoing anti-social behaviour involving vehicles in the South Road area of Dundee.
“We are working with partners to put measures in place to deter this behaviour and to identify those responsible.
“We are also aware of the adverse impact anti-social use of vehicles can have on a community and will take action against anyone found to be causing an offence.
“I would urge anyone with concerns about anti-social behaviour involving vehicles to contact Police Scotland.
“We use all information we receive to inform enforcement activity and our patrols.”
‘Safety is our priority’
A Tesco spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers and colleagues is our priority and we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour at our stores.
“We are aware of this behaviour around our Dundee South Road Extra store and we are working closely with local authorities to find a solution.”
