AN all-terrain beach buggy will be used by police officers in South Ayrshire to tackle seaside crime.

 

The new Polaris Rangers all-terrain vehicle (ATV) set off on patrol of beaches and esplanades in Troon, Prestwick and Ayr at the weekend when thousands of visitors descended on the seaside towns for the bank holiday.

The latest addition to the force's fleet is designed to cover difficult ground such as sand dunes, beaches, coastal scrub and rocky shorelines.

Officers will tour the five-mile stretch of beach between Troon, Prestwick and Ayr as part of its Summer Safe Shore campaign to tackle any incidents of disorder, alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour, wildlife crime and vandalism.

Inspector Alister Kelly from Troon Police Office said: "On a sunny day, you can expect up to 25,000 visitors to descend on the South Ayrshire Coast to visit towns like Troon or Prestwick both which have lovely beaches and play areas for children.

"Unfortunately last year we had a couple of incidents when a crowd of rowdy teenagers under the influence of alcohol appeared on the beach whilst families were happily enjoying the sunshine and caused some disorder.

"The ATV will be able to help with this type of crime by providing a quick response to incidents like these on environments which can be difficult to access.

"We've also experienced issues with wildlife crime as many birds nest in the sand dunes and people are known to steal their eggs, vandalise their nests or start fires close by.

"Officers will patrol these areas to ensure they are safe from harm."

Mr Kelly added: "The fact the ATV is highly-visible will also help to reassure the public when they're visiting the coast that officers are there to assist with keeping them safe.

"We'll be on patrol around the beach and esplanade areas to have a visible presence to the public and will work with partners to prevent and deter crime and disorder and help free up the road networks so that everyone enjoys a safe and pleasant day out."

The ATV has been funded by South Ayrshire Council's Community Safety Department and through outside grants.

As part of the Safe Shore campaign, police officers in South Ayrshire will conduct high visibility foot and cycle patrols in the area and work closely with partners including HM Coastguard Search and Rescue and the RNLI Lifeboat at Troon to ensure people visiting the coastline stay safe.