Youths at the side of the building

It has been reported by a resident that youths were hanging out at the side of the building (where the back-block's gas boxes are kept).

We need to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour directly to the policy via their non-emergency number. It would be useful to get the development on the map of the Sheffield Police, Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

From experience, these are excellent in helping combat antisocial behaviour and would really recommend contacting them. Their page is http://neighbourhood.southyorks.police.uk/sheffield/hillsborough

or email them on hillsboroughsna@southyorks.pnn.police.uk and outline some of the issues residents are experiencing with youths being antisocial.

Yes, I saw this too. I tidied up some of the rubbish around that back side of the building and it certainly looked like kids had been haging around back there.

I tend to have my blinds closed for security most of the time and am out at work most of the day so haven't really seen anyone around there. However on Saturday evening I did see a kid (12-14 years old maybe, possibly with a friend with him) walking back towards the carpark. I couldn't see anything out of place when I looked out of the window.

However I did bump into another resident (Abi) out there on Sunday afternoon. I joined Abi and had a look around. A piece of plastic wire trunking had been kicked off the back wall of the building (coming out of the wall of the ground floor flat at the front corner). This trunking was left on the floor.

What we did notice however was that the green and yellow earthing wire that was connected to the gas pipes had been cut with pliers and removed. This single wire comes out of the building wall (where it is presumably connected to the building's earth) and then connects in a line line to each of the gas meter junction boxes at the foot of the back wall. The wire itself is a single very plain wire which had been layed under the gravel when the building was built. This wire connects all of the boxes to the earth. It probably amounts to only about 20-30m of cheap wire.

I suspect that the wire was taken because copper wire does have a small amount of scrap value attached to it and it can be traded in at most scrap metal companies for cash. This is the only reason I can see for removing the wire.

I do't think there is any real urgent reason to worry about its removal as I believe the need for this earthing wire to be fitted to houses was only added in the last decade as a precautionary measure by the government as a good practice.

The 3rd post here seems to clarify the significance of this wire: http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=77650

This person is obviously an electrician somewhere in the UK that has some (possibly biased) guidance on this wiring:
http://www.rcoombs.co.uk/safety.htm

I guess this should be sorted out sooner rather than later, but it isn't a major hazard as it is.

Going back to the issue of the kids in the area. I am not sure what we can do other than to report the issue. It might be worth mentioning that the kids may be drinking or doing solvents. I did remove a large empty vodka bottle and empty hairspray can from the gravelled area.

I will keep a closer eye on what goes on out there and hopefully you'll all do the same. Does anyone else have any input on this? It is worrying that kids are wandering around back there.