NEW proposals have been unveiled in a joint bid to tackle arson attacks in a crime-hit community.
Suggestions include removing flammable rubbish from the streets and providing skips to help remove temptation.
Parents could also be asked if they know where their children are under the proposals.
The police, fire service and council would combine forces to reduce the crime in Caia Park and across the region.
Alison Smallwood, a senior officer for the Community Safety Partnership in Wrexham and Flintshire, told a press briefing yesterday: “We are also carrying out research with Glyndwr University to look into the reasons why people commit arson in a bid to better understand how we can prevent it.
“Every council house tenant will have signed an agreement that states they must behave in a way which cannot be seen as anti-social and anybody suspected will be sent a letter.
“In extreme cases they could be evicted but we would help the individual change before it gets to that.
“We work with the youth service and hold workshops in schools but it’s not just young people we’re dealing with.”
Caia Park residents feared there could be another spate of arson attacks after North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended three fires in less than two hours at the weekend.
Fire crews were called to a car fire in Gwenfro just after midnight on Saturday where a Vauxhall Vectra suffered 25 per cent damage.
A letterbox was set alight in Queensway at about 12.25am and a shed in Gwenfro was targeted at about 1.20am.
County councillor for Smithfield Keith Gregory appealed to the police to increase patrols in the area.
“You can’t help but think ‘here we go again’.
“I hope it’s not another campaign starting but I haven’t seen many police officers around for a while and I’ve noticed other crimes like drug-selling picking up again as a result, so I can’t help but worry.
“Nobody’s here to stop them.”
He praised police in the wake of a spate of arsons in November. Dorothy Dudley-Smith, a 78-year-old woman whose car was torched, died of a bleed on the brain 24 hours later at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
But Cllr Gregory said since then the police presence had diminished.
However, Wrexham inspector Mark Williams wanted to assure the public there were more officers on the streets of Caia Park now than ever before and the overall crime rate had dropped.
“There was a spike in arson in November but apart from that things have been steady.
“Over the last few years the annual figure has been 22, then 19, 20 then 25 and 30 for last year.
“Caia Park now has three community beat manager police officers and six PCSOs thanks to extra funding.
“There was a huge increase in staff on the streets in November but that was an additional service through overtime and couldn’t be maintained.
“We want to reassure the public they can come to us.
“We want to show there’s a visible presence and incidents will be taken seriously.”
Carrie Harper, community councillor for the Gwenfro area, said: “My car was burned out not so long ago so I know how the victims must be feeling.
“As a community council we try and encourage the police to come along to our meetings so we can help them and find out what they’ve been doing but they haven’t been there for the last two months.
“Hopefully the weekend was a one-off but it’s put everyone on edge.
“We need reassurance from the police.”