Firework, which was pushed through Lurgan resident's letterbox, exploded in the hallway, says PSNI

Sinn Fein Cllr Keith Haughian revealed the incident happened in north Lurgan and is one of several cases of a gang causing upset and annoyance to residents of the area.

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Cllr Haughian said he has spoke to the PSNI and local youth workers about the ‘serious’ anti-social behaviour taking place across the north Lurgan area.

"I have spoken to the police and our youth workers about the serious anti social behaviour taking place in North Lurgan.

"A group have been causing fear and annoyance to residents in Desmond Avenue and a number of other areas.

"Two nights ago they put fireworks through the letterbox of a resident. The fire service and police had to attend. This is completely unacceptable.

"I will be working to ensure the residents feel safe and those who are involved are tackled. If you believe your children are involved, you need to speak to them before they end up in serious trouble.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report from colleagues in Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service that at around 9pm on Sunday, 15th September, a lit firework was put through the letterbox of a property in the Desmond Avenue area.

"This exploded in the hallway and scorch damage was caused to door and floor.”

Neighbourhood policing Inspector Kelly said: “It is extremely concerning that these young people acted in such a reckless manner. Our enquiries to identify those involved are ongoing, and we would appeal to anyone with information to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 1563 of 15/09/24.

“I would ask local parents and guardians to speak to their young people about where they are and who they are with, and to warn them of the dangers of getting involved in this type of behaviour. They could injure themselves or others, and end up with a criminal record which would impact their future employment and travel prospects.

“I would also remind the community that the law regarding fireworks is clear. It is illegal to possess, sell, handle or use fireworks if you do not have a licence. And you can be fined up to £5,000 for breaking the law.

“Our officers work closely with our partner agencies to target those involved in the sale of illegal fireworks and our neighbourhood team will continue to engage with residents. We would ask that anyone who sees ongoing anti-social behaviour reports it to us on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Reporting crimes or incidents that impact on your quality of life helps us to focus our patrols where they are needed and take positive action.”