The post you are reporting:
As a supporter of local newspapers - as others have said they are a record of history - I read both the Express and the Mercury, and during the past couple of weeks I noticed this interesting comparison.
Both papers reported on the meeting which local police had with some of our senior citizens at the Riverside Centre. The pensioners were able to tell the officers what concerned them. The Mercury reported on this meeting first, and mentioned the "issues" which the pensioners raised. A week later, the Express had the same story (and on their website), but by then the "issues" had become "crime fears". So what were these crimes that the elderly folk were worried about?
Firstly, groups of youths gathering on the streets. Well that's an age-old situation and I suspect that when I, as a lad, met up with my mates for a chat we might have looked intimidating. But we had no criminal intent, and I am not sure the majority of today's youngsters have that intent either.
Secondly, there are not enough facilities for the young people. Again, an age-old problem, but it seems to have got worse in recent years. I understand there were many more youth clubs and groups in the town back in the 1960s, 1970s and even the 1980s (before I moved here), and sadly most have closed. There are still some (such as Archers Court, Buckland, and Bench Street) so well done to those who give up their time to keep the youth entertained and provide them with places to go in their leisure hours.
And the third issue, was the problem caused by roadworks and scaffolding on pavements, especially to people using motorised scooters. Nothing new there, either.
As far as I am aware, none of these issues are crimes. So why did the Express use the word "crime" in their headline?