Pokemon could Go after mobile game ‘causes a nuisance’ for residents in St Ives

Speaking at a meeting of the full council, Councillor Nick Dibben considered the idea after a member of the public raised concerns about an increase in youths gathering at a park in Paragon Road.

“They [the youths] leave litter around benches, and we’ve had police out once when one of them even decided to trash his own car by jumping on the bonnet and hitting the windscreen in,” a resident told the chamber on September 14.

The resident added that he had also seen a youth drive across the park chasing another on a bicycle, and that on one occasion the group did not leave until 1am.

They play loud music, he said, and some have been seen carrying golf clubs and cricket bats.

“The problem we’ve got is that they’ve all got mobile phones, so as soon as they see a police car they are on their phones telling everyone to watch out,” he added.

Councillors suggested that the popular mobile phone game could be behind the gatherings, which sees users play in augmented reality, ‘catching’ virtual characters.

“Part of the problem is probably down to the Pokémon phenomenon I suggest,” said

Councillor Jon Hunt.

“There’s a Pokémon gym on that playing field, so what they’re doing is they are going round and picking up all these bits and pieces. I’ve seem them doing it, and that’s why they’re congregating in slightly different areas now.”

Cllr Dibben even suggested contacting the company directly.

He said: “My understanding is if we have problems with Pokémon characters where they shouldn’t be, we are entitled to contact the manufacturer and ask for them to be removed, because if they are on our land and that’s causing anti-social behaviour we can get them taken off.

“Equally, we could encourage them to put them in places where we do want people to go.”

The council agreed to invite Jason Ablewhite, police and crime commissioner, and Sgt Andrew Street, of Cambridgeshire police, to discuss the issues at the next meeting.