Bedfordshire Police are urging the public to help break county lines, as it launches a new cutting-edge campaign to help save a generation of ‘Lost Boys’.
The Lost Boys campaign will see a bespoke virtual reality film being rolled out to school children across the county.
The film, which was produced by RIVR and Luton theatre company Next Generation Youth Theatre, tells the fictional story of Rhys, a 14-year-old boy from Bedfordshire who is gradually groomed into becoming a runner for a county drugs line.
What starts as a small favour for a friend, ends with Rhys facing a significant amount of time behind bars after a violent encounter with a fellow drugs gang member.
It is believed to be the first virtual reality film of its kind to be created by a police force for schools.
As part of the campaign, which is supported by the Violence & Exploitation Prevention Partnership (previously the VERU), the force will also be working to raise awareness amongst parents of the signs of exploitation and grooming to look out for and encouraging community members to speak out about drug crime in their local area.
Superintendent Alex House from Bedfordshire Police said: “County drugs lines underpin much of the violence and anti-social behaviour happening across the county and has a real impact on victims in Bedfordshire.
“That’s why we want to tackle them at their root cause, by raising awareness amongst children of the grooming process drugs gangs typically follow in a bid to prevent them from starting their own journey into a life of crime.
“We know these gangs are targeting young boys in towns and villages across our county and we hope that our Lost Boys campaign and innovative new film will shine a light on these issues and give people the confidence to speak up.
“That’s why we’re urging both the public and parents alike to spot the signs and to report what you know, to help prevent others from falling victim to a life of crime.
“All information, no matter how small, helps us build an intelligence picture which allows us then go on and break the lines.”
Cara Gavin, Head of the Violence & Exploitation Prevention Partnership, said: “We’re pleased to support Bedfordshire Police in this vital campaign raising awareness of the links between exploitation, knife crime and county lines.
“We’re pleased to have been able to contribute towards the funding of the VR headsets which will be used to deliver this ground-breaking film and hope it has a real impact on young people in Bedfordshire, preventing them from going down the path we see Rhys take in the film.
“Such gangs in particular target young boys which is why the focus is on boys in this campaign. However, we know child exploitation can affect anyone which is why we’re also urging all parents to be alert to the signs and reach out to one of the many organisations across Bedfordshire who can offer advice and support.”
John Tizard, Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire said: “I strongly support the Lost Boys campaign, which highlights the links between exploitation, county drugs lines and knife crime, encouraging people to spot the signs and break the lines.
“We should all get behind this Bedfordshire Police and VEPP campaign. The accompanying video provides a powerful reminder of why this campaign is so important.”
Ther campaign also features stories like the one below…
Signs to look out for
There are several signs to look out for that may indicate someone is involved in county lines:
- repeatedly going missing from school or home and being found in other areas
- having money, new clothes or electronic devices and they can’t explain how they paid for them
- getting high numbers of texts or phone calls, being secretive about who they’re speaking to
- decline in school or work performance
- significant changes in emotional or physical well-being
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