A camera set up by a local business owner in the centre of Neath to record the anti-social behaviour taking place there has been stolen.
'Neath Cam Live' was set up to "shine a light on the problems facing Neath Port Talbot" after concerns surrounding reoccurring issues involving drugs and anti-social behaviour. You can read more about some of those problems here.
The livestream camera, valued at £456, was previously operating 24/7 but was stolen from its location along The Parade at 2am this morning - July 28.
Read more: Man covered in blood rams front door of house in shocking scenes in Neath
"It's getting to the point where we are going to have to have a camera facing the camera, it's just ridiculous," said Sascha Lopez, a resident and business owner who has worked and lived in the area all his life and decided to install the equipment which has now been stolen.
"It's devastating, it just goes to show that we put up a camera to stop crime and then a crime occurs with the camera," added Sascha, who did not want to reveal the name of his business.
"By putting it there, we thought we could shine a light and show there is clearly a problem, within two days we saw what looked like a drug deal caught on the camera, they certainly weren't passing mints."
Sascha has run his business from the centre of Neath for ten years and argues there is a real sense of fear within the community.
"It seems to be a regular group of people in Neath responsible, these people have been around for a long time and they seem to be getting more bold with their actions and behaviour."
In one recent incident in Neath's Windsor Road, a focus for some of the problems in the town, a video showed people shouting, before a man chased a woman and threw a punch at her head. Seconds later, his victim grabbed hold of a girl looking on. On the same street, months earlier, armed police attend an incident in which two people were taken to hospital after a stabbing.
In yet another, a man high on drugs was found armed with a knife and hammer in an off-licence, while, on a neighbouring street, a teen involved with organised crime was found carrying a machete.
A crackdown was subsequently launched by police but on the same day an officer was injured in yet another incident.
Alongside anti-social and aggressive behaviour, Sascha warned there were several issues facing Neath.
"There is a drug epidemic in Neath, there is no question about it, it has been getting progressively worse and people are afraid but feel safer under the view of our camera.
"Whenever we have complained to councillors, they tell us to report it and if they can't see anything they can't do anything about it. People have been doing that and the problem just remains the same."
Despite the setback of losing the camera, 'Neath Cam Live' is planning on replacing the stolen property and continuing live coverage of the area located over The Parade.
"It seems to have worked and raised awareness, we really have had an outpouring. The response has been amazing, people are really supportive," said Sascha.
More than £300 has been raised by other concerned residents to help tackle the ongoing issues, 'Neath Cam Live' has thanked them for their generosity but commented that they will remain self-funded.
"I hope that it continues to make an impact, we are happy to work with the council and police to help tackle these issues," said Sascha.
Find out about crime levels where you live:
South Wales Police and Neath Port Talbot Council said recently they were working together to deal with problems in the town, including by forming a “business crime reduction partnership”. Businesses which join the scheme can receive a radio surveillance system to notify other traders about criminal activity as well as information on local offenders.
A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council said: "The council is not the Data Controller of this camera for the purposes of the UK GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or the Data Protection Act 2018. We therefore legally have no legal control over the operation of the camera in question; neither do we have any legal enforcement powers in respect to its use.
"However, the council has a large number of public space CCTV cameras which have been, and which continue to be, a deterrent against crime and anti-social behaviour and are a means of gathering evidence for prosecutions. The council is currently tendering for these to be updated.
"Despite reports of anti-social behaviour, Neath remains a safe place to live and visit and the Neath Port Talbot Community Safety Partnership, a collaboration between South Wales Police, this council and partner organisations, continues to appeal to people who witness crime and anti-social behaviour to report it to the police.
"While there have been some serious incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour in Neath which cause natural concern to our residents, these have to be seen in the context of a widespread series of issues in other parts of Wales in recent months. These issues in other areas include murders, rape, sexual assaults, a full scale riot into which an inquiry has begun and public disorder/gatherings etc. This council, police and other colleagues are committed to making Neath an enjoyable place to be.”
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