West Lothian locals say shopping precinct 'under siege' from lawless gangs

Angry shop staff have demanded urgent action be taken to tackle a wave of anti-social behaviour amid warnings it could destroy their town centre.

Traders have already petitioned West Lothian Council to demand action, and police recently admitted that resources are stretched to the “bare bones” as they try to grapple with the issue. They tell you about the woman who snorts butane lighter gas from a canister hidden up her sleeve. Or the two men trying to pull a woman out of the wheelie bin she’s dived into head first.It’s a daily squalid circus which wanders from the Steelyard up the precinct to the top of George Street.

"The one good thing is that the police will move them onto the bottom of the street but then they bother other businesses down there. "I just didn't know if they were going to approach me or not and I did not feel very safe. I have also seen groups of teenagers and it seemed like they had also been doing drugs."

In a newsagents in the town centre an assistant spoke of a drunk woman coming in daily asking for lighter gas and getting abuse when told no. The woman returned the next day “all sweet and nice asking to buy lighter gas”.

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