Portsmouth councillor: “Little scroats” who brazenly stole £500 worth of vapes should be “willing to take a beating”

As reported, a group of children, thought to be aged in their early teens, were caught on CCTV entering Vape N’ Beans in Commercial Road around 7.30pm on Friday before taking boxes of the most expensive vapes they could get their hands on. The gang had waltzed into the newly opened shop with a female at the front of the group dancing while saying, “let’s, let’s go”.

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The pack then casually select which vapes they want and even engage with a member of staff before strolling out the store in high spirits. The owner of the business, who does not want to be named, said other similar raids have been carried out on other stores in Commercial Road by youths and told The News: “This needs to be stopped or they will just carry on.”

A social media post on the incident attracted numerous responses with councillor George Madgwick, group leader of the Portsmouth Independents Party, among them. The Paulsgrove councillor wrote: “Should have smashed two bells of **** into the little scroats. Defend your business and deal with consequences after. If people are willing to steal from you they have to be willing to take a beating.”

Cllr Madgwick’s post saw 56 people “like” or respond with a heart emoji in solidarity with the councillor’s view. People responding to the post gave their opinion to the remark. One person said: “Well said George bud.”

Another wrote: “Not sure that's the best advice George. You can't do that without getting arrested and in trouble.” A third disagreed and posted: “Exactly the moto we have in my shop.”

A fourth person then fumed at the councillor’s remark. They said: “Extremely shocked to see an elected councillor condoning violence. It is one thing wanting to protect a business but to suggest taking justice into your own hands? That is the police's job, going against the rule of law can be really dangerous. Really not great leadership or integrity from someone who has been elected.”

But a fifth person, responding to the ”shocked” person, said: “I didn’t even realise he was a councillor. But I think it's brilliant.”

Cllr Madgwick, who runs Drayton restaurant Valletta, then added: “Don't be shocked. I might be an elected councillor. But I'm not and never have been a ‘politician’. I'm a Pompey boy and raised to protect my own. The police do a good job with the rubbish resources they are given. So something like theft in a shop will never be dealt correctly and shop keepers will never be compensated.

“What your view of good leadership I guarantee is different to most in our community. I'm a Grover (Paulsgrove) and in our community we deal with issues in-hand and integrity would be defined as protecting yourself, your family and your community against criminals.”