Police warn Mansfield 'urban explorers' are 'putting lives at risk'
Police have warned that young people exploring abandoned buildings in Mansfield are putting themselves and others at risk.
Officers in the town centre say they are increasingly concerned by the number of young people trespassing in buildings that, in some cases, are at imminent risk of collapse.
Buildings of particular concern include the former B&M supermarket in Stockwell Gate and the Walkden Street Car Park.
Several people are known to have climbed up the side of the building to gain access.
The building itself is unstable, and the shop underneath contains hazardous levels of mould and rotting food.
Other buildings infiltrated by so-called ‘urban explorers’ - who then post videos of their exploits to social media – include another abandoned shop, a nightclub, a theatre and several abandoned homes.
Each contains multiple dangers, including electrical hazards and holes in floors.
The warning comes after three teenagers were found on the roof of old Beales department store on November 10.
The boys, aged 17, 16, 15, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and are currently on conditional police bail.
PC Louise Martin, said: "It is no exaggeration to say that many of the people involved in this trend are putting their lives at risk, all in pursuit of online views and bragging rights.
"Aside from the obvious dangers of scaling and breaking into abandoned buildings, the mainly young people who do this also run the risk of encountering potentially violent individuals who may be using these sites for shelter.
"If the worst should happen and someone gets hurt, help may be delayed in arriving or, if they are unable to raise the alarm, may not come at all.
"So if we catch people doing this, they will, at the very least, be returned to their parents with a full explanation of why.
"We also have the power to arrest them and charge them with a range of criminal offences."
"We don't want to do that, but we won't think twice about it if we believe it is the best way to prevent someone from seriously injuring themselves and putting emergency workers, including my colleagues and me, at risk.
"So if you suspect your child is doing this kind of thing then please speak to them about their behaviour and take appropriate action to keep them safe."