AN ULTRASONIC device which mimics the whine of a mosquito is to be used to stop youths from hanging around in an Oxfordshire shopping arcade.

The device, called the Mosquito, will be used at Chipping Norton's Westgate Shopping Centre from next week.

The system generates a pulsed ultrasonic tone of 16Khz, which is close to the limit of the hearing range of people under 25.

While the noise causes no physical pain or injury, it becomes extremely annoying after five to ten minutes of exposure, resulting in youngsters leaving areas where the system is fitted.

The £800 system was paid for by West Oxfordshire District Council and the Midcounties Co-op, which has a supermarket and travel agency at the centre, and is the first to go in operation in the county.

Co-op spokesman Adrian Barradell said: "We're aware that young people hanging about the entrance area to the shopping centre have, in the past, been offputting to our customers.

"We welcome the installation of the Mosquito and hope it will reassure people, especially those visiting the store in the dark winter evenings.

"It has been shown to be a useful tool in tacking antisocial behaviour."

The device has been welcomed by businesses in the arcade.

Jackie Mason, manager of the Westgate Department Store, said: "If it works then I'd definitely support it.

"Some weeks it can be a major problem, other weeks it's not so bad. It depends, but it's a regular problem."

The idea received a mixed reception from residents Brendon Crawford, 16, of Cotswold Terrace, said: "I used to be a bit of a chav and hang round there. The only reason people do it is because they don't have anywhere else to go."

Kelly Houston, 17, of Pearce Drive, said: "On Friday and Saturday night it's really bad around here, it's quite scary to walk past."

Shirley Yates, 70, said: "Some people probably find them intimidating. There's a lot of vandalism. They shouldn't be hanging around here."

PC Simon Towers, antisocial behaviour manager for west Oxfordshire's community safety partnership, said: "We're hopeful it will have the desired effect in tackling one of Chipping Norton's top neighbourhood policing priorities."

How it works

  • The noise is generated by a pulsed ultra-sound tone at 16khz. It is designed to be used for 30 minutes and has a range of 20-25 metres and a 60 degree angle of spread.
  • The majority of people over 30 can only just hear the noise, if at all, due to natural age-related hearing loss.
  • It causes no physical pain or damage to the body but becomes annoying after five or 10 minutes of exposure.
  • The system will be turned on at specific times to target problem periods.
  • There are no plans to use the unit elsewhere, but Oxford's Crime and Nuisance Action Team (CANACT) is looking to see if it could be a useful tool.