Middlesbrough has been gripped by a week of escalating violence, leaving residents feeling intimidated and unsafe. Andy McDonald, MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, has described the situation as "terrorism" and is calling for a stronger police response to what he believes are escalating gang-related incidents. The current surge in violence is understood to be linked to the aftermath of a fatal crash on the A66.
A66 Crash and Subsequent Violence
The recent wave of unrest intensified following the deaths of five young men in a crash on the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough. The group's vehicle was traveling the wrong way down the road when it collided with a police car, killing officers Matthew Blades and Tom Clough. Authorities have since arrested two men, aged 31 and 23, on suspicion of murder in connection with a separate incident: the deaths of seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, in a house fire in Grangetown. Further incidents include a car ramming a house in South Bank and a man being stabbed in Eston, though police have not yet confirmed if these are directly linked to the A66 crash.
Postcode Gangs and Drug Operations
Locals report that postcode gangs have been a persistent issue in Middlesbrough long before the A66 crash, engaging in county lines operations, exploiting young children, and fighting over the town's drug trade. The areas of South Bank, Grangetown, and Eston, all within the TS6 postcode, have long been identified as hotspots for criminal activity. These gangs are understood to have a long-standing rivalry with those in the neighboring TS3 postcode.
Evidence suggests links between individuals involved in organized county lines gangs in the TS3 and TS6 postcodes and those associated with the A66 crash. Curtis Cremin, who was previously jailed for running a county drugs line exploiting young boys, has been identified as having links to the A66 crash gang. He was arrested at a property on the border of TS3 and TS6 and, while on bail, reportedly set up a new drugs line. Cremin had posted tributes online to some of the individuals who died in the A66 crash.
In a separate operation, police dismantled another criminal organization in February, leading to convictions for drugs offenses. Louie Leadbeater, who received a three-year sentence for his involvement in a county lines gang, is known to be friends with Cole Worthy, one of the five men who died in the A66 crash. Laiton Hopkins, also convicted in connection with the gang, shared tributes online to the deceased.
Community Impact and Police Response
The violence has created an atmosphere of fear, with residents expressing concerns about their safety. MP Andy McDonald stated that people are afraid to go to shops and feel trapped in their homes. In response to the escalating situation, over 200 additional police officers from various forces have been deployed to support Cleveland Police, which is described as one of Britain's smallest forces covering an area with a high crime rate.
Crime Statistics in the Cleveland Area
Official figures indicate that the Cleveland area has the highest crime rate in England outside of central London. The rate of recorded crimes per 1,000 population in the year to March was 123.4, surpassing other forces. Cleveland Police also leads in rates for shoplifting, criminal damage and arson, violence with injury, burglary, and sexual offenses. The force has the second-highest rates for violence against the person and theft offenses. Cleveland Police also has a higher homicide rate and the highest rate of knife offenses per 100,000 people compared to other forces in England and Wales.