Turnhout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Residents of Lochtenberg, Turnhout, report nightly drug-linked nuisance near Emiel Verreesstraat benches. Spokesman Dre Wolput urges more police patrols; Mayor Hannes Anaf says complaints will be reviewed by the Nuisance Unit.
As VRT News reported, people living in the Lochtenberg district in Turnhout complain about groups of young people hanging around the streets and what they believe are drug dealers coming into the area. Dr. Wolput, who speaks for the residents of Emiel Verreesstraat, says the problem has been getting worse, with noise and commotion going on until 6 in the morning.
He explains that it is not just friendly gatherings, as people are drinking and using drugs out in the open, which makes the street feel less safe.
“It’s about people enjoying themselves with all kinds of stimulants, from a can of beer to drugs,”
Wolput says. Locals are now asking for police to patrol the area more often, because they fear things will only get worse if nothing changes.
“Several residents do not dare to pass by at night and go for a walk around the block.”
Resident Dre Wolput
What are Turnhout and the police doing about the Lochtenberg drug nuisance?
As VRT News reported, People in the Lochtenberg area say cars and mopeds keep coming at night. They see them stop in the parking lot and leave again. Many think drugs are being sold there. Some people do not walk past when groups are standing around. They take another way home.
“We just go around the block instead. That can’t be right,”
Said one neighbour.
Dr. Wolput says the benches near the playground are part of the reason. He mentioned that it’s related to the benches that are there. But we’re not asking the city to remove them. That would be the easy way out.
The benches are also used by neighbours and by parents whose children play there. He adds that locals do not want to lose the benches; they only want the drug use and dealing linked to them to stop.
“It is important that people always report any nuisance.”
Hannes Anaf (Vooruit), mayor of Turnhout
Residents are asking the city and police to do more to solve the problem.
“We are asking the city and the police to work towards a drug-free neighbourhood,”
Wolput says. He explains that the police come when they are called, but most of the time, the troublemakers are already gone. People in the area want police to pass by more often on their own.
The city says it is looking at the complaints and will talk about solutions in the next meeting of the Nuisance Unit. Officials are also asking everyone to keep reporting each problem so the police know what is going on and can take action to make Lochtenberg safe again.
“There are still places in Turnout where there’s nuisance and a drug problem,”
Says Mayor Hannes Anaf (Vooruit).
“We recently received one report about this playground.”
