ANTI-social behaviour around Amesbury’s shops has fallen after police and partner agencies targeted a small group linked to intimidation and disorder.

The success comes as Wiltshire Police marks Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week, revealing reports across the county have fallen by 6% over the past year.

In Amesbury, officers said they had spent recent months tackling concerns involving “a small core group linked to intimidation, disorder and incidents around local retail areas”.

Working alongside businesses, schools, youth services and the Youth Justice Service, police stepped up high-visibility patrols during busy after-school periods and early evenings, carried out reassurance visits and secured banning orders against key individuals.

The operation has led to “a clear reduction in reported ASB incidents” with fewer young people gathering around shops, positive feedback from residents and businesses, and disruption of those believed to be responsible.

The results mirror a wider trend across the county as new figures show there were 9,240 reports of ASB between May 2025 and April 2026, compared with 9,825 during the previous 12 months – a reduction of 585 incidents.

Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “ASB isn’t just about the number of incidents recorded. It’s about how safe people feel in their communities.

“When repeated behaviour goes unchecked, it can have a lasting impact on residents, businesses and entire neighbourhoods.

“ASB Awareness Week is an opportunity to shine a light on that impact, but also on the progress being made. These latest figures are encouraging and reflect the work of many organisations pulling in the same direction.”

Wiltshire Police said the improvements are being supported by initiatives including taxi marshal schemes in Salisbury and Swindon, youth projects such as Premier League Kicks and the Business Crime Reduction Partnership, which launched in Salisbury last year and is now being rolled out across Wiltshire.

Police are encouraging anyone experiencing ASB to report it and said community information is vital in helping officers identify persistent problems and act.