SAD to say I was not surprised to read, in last week's Mercury, that an officer of the local police though it would be a good idea to remove a public telephone box from the corner of Alfred Street and Baker Street to stop 'bad people' using it.

SAD to say I was not surprised to read, in last week's Mercury, that an officer of the local police though it would be a good idea to remove a public telephone box from the corner of Alfred Street and Baker Street to stop "bad people" using it.

What about the innocent residents of the area of whom a good many still don't use mobile phones?

This new idea to take away benches from the roadside, remove seats from shelters (Grove Park and South seafront), shut toilets and punish innocent people because of the actions of a small but loud minority is remarkably stupid.

I trust the officer concerned is pleased at the remarkable decline of shoplifting offences in Woolworths?

BRIAN AUSTIN

Alma Street, Weston