Furious Sliema residents cornered a group of rowdy youths in a lift and performed a citizen’s arrest on them after they broke into an apartment block.

The four youngsters were cuffed and escorted out of the building on Bisazza Street by police who arrived shortly after on Wednesday night.

“We blocked the sensors to stop the doors from closing and shouted that we were putting them under a citizen’s arrest,” said one of the residents involved.

Locals say the incident was just the latest in an ongoing saga of anti-social behaviour stretching back months, with “gangs” of youngsters gathering on the popular Sliema street at night.

“We’ve had youths running up and down stairs inside buildings, bullying an old man with a water pistol, riding e-scooters towards elderly people and only braking at the last minute,” said Christine Pace, calling the situation “a nightmare”.

Another resident said the area had turned into a “mini Paceville” at the weekends, adding the groups of youngsters were “not scared of anything”. One shop owner said her staff were “terrified” of leaving work on Saturday evenings while the groups were outside.

Drinking alcohol on the street

One resident told Times of Malta the youths had been spotted drinking alcohol in the street, with another claiming some local shops have been selling alcoholic drinks to the youngsters.

Pace said the anti-social behaviour had been occurring nearly every day all summer, with the weekends especially bad, adding she had “zero confidence” that the recent police action would solve the issue.

“Whenever we’ve called the police in the past, they’ve told us they cannot do anything to stop them,” she said, a complaint echoed by Sliema mayor John Pillow.

Last weekend, Pillow uploaded a video to a popular residents’ page on Facebook showing a group of the youngsters, who can be seen arguing and shouting in the video.  

Speaking to Times of Malta, Pillow questioned why the police had acted against the youngsters, having previously told him they were unable to do so.

“They always said they couldn’t do anything as they were underage,” said Pillow. “How come they could arrest them but said they couldn’t speak with them before?”

Investigations ongoing

Some nights had seen “hundreds” of youths gather on Bisazza Street, he added.

When asked about reports of inaction against the youths, a police spokesperson refuted the claims, stressing the police “do confront youngsters and any other persons, irrespective of age, in such situations.

“When receiving reports of disturbance of public peace, we do speak to young people and inform them what they are doing is wrong,” he said.

“In cases of criminal action or intent, we will inform their parents or guardians and speak to the minors at the police station in the presence of their parents.”

The spokesperson confirmed that officers had entered the Bisazza Street building following a report being lodged at the Sliema police station on Wednesday night.

“The police immediately reported on site where four minors, aged between 16 and 17, were held by the police due to trespassing. Investigations are still ongoing.”