POLICE in Okehampton are stepping up patrols in Simmons Park after a spate of vandalism and reports of drug taking.

The sign at the entrance to the park was scrawled with graffiti over the weekend.

Pink graffiti was also daubed on a wall on a secluded path within the park.

And racist and obscene graffiti were reported on two cars parked on a lane leading off Station Road nearby, apparently overnight from Saturday into Sunday (November 2-3).

Park keeper James McGahey said on Monday: ‘We have cleaned all the graffiti in the park off. Luckily the signs are graffiti-proof so basically all we have to do is get a sponge and wipe it off.

‘I would say, though, that vandalism is increasing in the park. We have had a number of conversations with the police about it. It has got worse.’

He added that he was aware of drug dealing going on in the park.

‘It definitely happens in the shelters quite regularly,’ he said. ’It is normally during the school hours and evenings at the weekends.

‘I would say that more of a police presence would help but I understand the police are very limited in what they can do because of numbers.’

Sgt Nathan Walker, police neighbourhood team leader, said he and his colleagues were stepping up patrols of the park.

‘This is likely to be a group of kids misbehaving for a number of reasons,’ he said. ‘We patrol the park regularly and we are in the process of increasing our patrols in the park.’

He said the police had investigated an email from a member of the public about drug taking in the park.

‘As a result of this we have been increasing our patrols and myself and another colleague stop-searched four lads in the park last week,’ he said. ‘Three of them were in possession of cannabis and they are in the process of being referred to Y-Smart, the under 18s drugs and alcohol service for Devon.

‘We are not currently looking at charging them because our approach is about being restorative and not about criminalising children and young people.’

He added: ‘It wouldn’t be right for us to say there is a particular anti-social behaviour or drugs problem in Okehampton because it is everywhere, but we are in the process of increasing our patrols around the park area.

‘What bothers me is this idea that Okehampton has a big drug problem — a lot of the rural communities around here think that. It is a problem but one that is being dealt with and not one to be feared.’

He said he and his colleagues were investigating the graffiti on two cars near Station Road, which included a swastika and obscene language

The incident had also been reported to Devon and Cornwall Police’s diverse communities team as a racist incident, as they collate information which helps build up a bigger picture.

Sgt Walker urged people in the town to report any specific incidents of drug taking or vandalism in either the park or surrounding area.

‘People can email us, ring 101 or if they don’t want to be identified can ring Crimestoppers and tell us about it,’ he said. ‘If we have grounds then we can act. ‘People think they can only report crime to us but they can also report information to us to help built up a bigger picture to act on.’