'Youths smashing windows with machetes' sparked crackdown

Hertfordshire Constabulary officers in an area around South Oxhey were given extra powers to stop and search anyone they suspected to be carrying weapons from 5.05pm on Tuesday (February 21) to 10am on Wednesday (February 22), after reported "altercations".

The force have since revealed that the Section 60 order was in response to reports of windows being smashed.

The area the order covered (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

The first incident involved a group of 10 to 20 youths in Prestwick Road. A property's window was allegedly smashed with machetes at around 8.48pm on Monday evening (February 20).

Police do not have an exact number of offenders they were looking for and they fled before officers arrived.

Then at 10.48pm, it was again reported that windows were smashed, this time in Brookside Road and again the offenders fled before police could get there.

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No one has been arrested, no weapons were found, and no one sustained any injuries, according to Herts Police.

Three Rivers Chief Inspector Andrew Palfreyman said: “If you live in the South Oxhey area, you may have noticed an increased police presence in the area over the last couple of days whilst we act on this latest intelligence.

“I would like to make it clear that both of these incidents were contained, and initial enquiries have led us to believe that the involved parties are known to each other.

"As such, we do not believe there to be any wider threat or risk to the public at this time."

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Patrols were increased but no stop and searches were actually carried out.

Normally, police must have “reasonable grounds” to stop someone but under a section 60 order they can search anyone in an area if they believe, with good reason, that serious violence may take place or someone is carrying a dangerous object or weapon.

They order applied to an area including Thomas Sawyer Way, Riverside Park, Riverside Road, Silk Mill Road, Hampermill Lane, Sandy Lane, Prestwick Road, Oxhey Lane, Little Oxhey Lane, Pinner Lane, Lower High Street, Dalton Way, Bushey train station, and Carpenders Park station.