Teens made to buzz off

YOBS in Chorley have met their match - in the form of a high-tech mosquito.

A businessman, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, said he had been driven to the end of his tether by youths congregating and causing damage outside his shop in Chorley East.

In desperation he installed a high-pitched audible warning unit called a Mosquito to the outside of his carpet shop which emits a piercing shrill sound.

The 37-year-old father-of-four found out about the device from Compound Security Services Ltd from watching the television.

"It's a high-pitched audible warning device running from 75 to 80 decibels," he said.
"It can't be heard by anyone over the age of about 20 to 22 because your hearing at that age deteriorates so you can't hear it, it's only heard by kids."

He said the £550 device, which is fitted at the front of his shop and is protected by a cage, has transformed his life.

He said: "There were 50 children emptying bins out every night and damaging our property.
"Alarms were going off four to five times a week at unsociable hours.

"On a Saturday afternoon, when it was nice and sunny, they would like hanging round the front of the shop and on the customer car park throwing stones at each other and swearing at each other.
"You look out now and there's not one. It works well."

He has set the device on a timer to come on when problems are most likely to occur.

"If you are somewhere that you shouldn't be then you will know about it," he said. "It doesn't affect your hearing, it's just annoying, like a 'nee nar' sound.

"One of the kids asked what the noise was and we said it was just a warning device to keep the birds away to stop the spread of bird flu."

And it has proved so successful he has ordered a second unit for the rear of the property.

He added: "It's a good crime prevention thing, it really is. I have never known anything like it. I can't believe the difference."

Author -
Publication Chorley Today
Date 20 April 2006
Link www.chorleytoday.co.uk