YOUTHS damaging town centre roofs, partnership working with parents and Halloween and bonfire night are amongst the issues being targeted by PCSOs.

On Wednesday, the Leader joined PCSOs Connor Freel and Cleo Milburn on a patrol around Mold.

This is what we discussed...

One of the biggest issues facing PCSOs, like Connor and Cleo, is anti-social behaviour involving groups of youths.

Mold is no different from any other place in having its fair share of anti-social behaviour.

A worrying current trend is that youths have been climbing onto the roofs of Mold's high street shops. The old B&M store has been amongst those targeted, and PCSOs Connor and Cleo say that the shop's roof has been damaged as a result.

"Some of its tiles have been ripped off as they've been scrambling to get up there," Connor said.

"As well as the obvious dangers to those responsible, this is causing substantial amounts worth of damage.

"B&M has had flooding inside during periods of rainfall as a result of the damage to the roof."

However, after identifying those involved, PCSOs look to work with them and their families, instead of purely handing out punishments.

"We had some anti-social behaviour and vandalism at Bailey Hill," Connor said.

"But with the high level CCTV in place there we were able to identify those involved and then we spoke to their parents who were mortified to hear about it.

"They've been really on board with trying to keep their children out of trouble. Working with parents is a key part of community policing."

Building relationships with everyone in the community is also a key aspect.

"Getting information from members of the community is absolutely vital," Cleo said.

"There are times when we'll speak to people who will tip us off about criminal activity, be it drug use or dealing - things like that."

The information PCSOs gather is vital for the intelligence needed for police drugs raids, and other operations.

PCSOs also remain vigilant to the issue of County Lines - where people, typically from Liverpool or Manchester, enter the area to sell drugs on behalf of inner city gangs.

"Last year we had a bit of it going in Mold," Connor said.

"But thankfully it's quietened down in the area - but we're always looking out for the signs of it.

"And it doesn't just include people coming to the area - we've seen it where parcels full of drugs have been seized by the post office."

PCSOs, like Connor and Cleo, are now looking ahead to Halloween weekend, and bonfire night - two of the busier weekends of the year for them.

"We'll have extra officers out and about," Cleo said.

"But we'll also be visiting local schools to just give a gentle reminder to the kids to behave themselves."

With plenty of bonfire and firework displays being cancelled due to Covid, Cleo is urging people to behave responsibly if they have their own display.

"Please do it at a responsible time, and think of neighbours who have pets," she said.

The time of year where police also typically see more 'twilight burglaries' has arrived - and PCSOs Connor and Cleo are urging residents to be vigilant.

"With the longer nights drawing in, we generally see more burglaries - so we're just urging people to leave lights on when they're out, keep doors locked and windows shut, and to not leave valuables in cars," Connor said.

For some people, the prospect of leaving lights on when they're out is too much of a financial burden.

And Cleo has advice for people in that situation.

"We can give people stickers warning of CCTV, so even if the property doesn't actually have it - it can be enough to deter would-be burglars," she said.

On the walkabout, we visited a shop in Mold which has become an area of concern - with youths hanging around the shop and sometimes coming into conflict with customers.

"We had an incident last night, that we're looking into," Cleo said after Connor went into to speak to the shop's owner to review CCTV footage.

"Sometimes it can be just a case of shoppers feeling intimidated by a group of youths hanging around outside the shop. But other times, like last night, it can get a bit nasty.

"There's a park a stone's throw away where they can hang around, but because we've told them not to hang around here at the shop, it's almost like they do it specifically because we've told them not to."

PCSOs Connor and Cleo are urging people to sign up for the North Wales Police Community Alerts system - a new free messaging service providing people with news of crime in your area, witness appeals, general policing activities and any scams you should be aware of.

You can sign up to it via https://www.northwalescommunityalert.co.uk/#SignUp