Southern Rail has redeployed a team of security officers to the Worthing area to deal with a spate of crime believed to be carried out by a group of youngsters named the 'West Coast Nominals'.

The investment in “Travel Safe Officers” comes after a spate of behaviour from children using the Worthing railway line to terrorise businesses between Worthing and Hove.

A Southern Rail spokesman said: “We have redeployed to the area our team of Travel Safe Officers – which we’ve committed to fund throughout our franchise at a cost of £1m a year – and we’re boosting that with a further £35,000 for additional officers dedicated to the area while we tackle this issue.

Girls stealing from Tesco in Hove on July 18 (Image: Newsquest)

The rail operator said it is not possible to give a number in terms of additional staff hired because the funding supports resources that "are deployed around different parts of the network".

"We care passionately about the safety of our people and passengers and we’re collaborating with the police, schools and social services to address problems of youth disorder in the area", added the spokesman.

"We know from other organisations that this is a part of a broader community issue; the behaviour of this group of individuals is being experienced across West Sussex.

"With cases of this nature involving young, potentially, vulnerable people we recognise that it's a complex situation and we continue to work across multiple agencies to support their efforts and safeguard our colleagues."

'Rampant' children using the Worthing line for crime spree

This week we revealed how children have been causing havoc to people’s lives in the Worthing area.

Several businesses in the immediate vicinity of train stations have been targeted, from Goring all the way up to Hove.

These crimes include shoplifting, assault, criminal damage and even arson attacks.

Kwik Vape in Tarring Road, Worthing, was targeted in February. Right, the waiting room where Puccino's cafe is that was set alight in June (Image: Newsquest)

A Co-op and vape shop was targeted by youths on February 21.

A 14-year-old boy was arrested and released under investigation.

The alleged offences include spitting at shopworkers and smashing a shop window with a metal pole.

The boy has now been charged with two counts of assault and one count of criminal damage. He is due to stand trial on December 12.

Two girls aged 14 and 12 were arrested by British Transport Police in connection to an arson attack at a cafe on a platform of Worthing Station at 5am on June 13.

The cafe is still shut due to the damage and the girls were released under investigation.

These two incidents are a snapshot of crime in the area. 

Dozens of children are known to authorities for their crimes

30 notorious children known to the British Transport Police were put in a ‘wanted’ style poster, dubbed the West Coast Nominals.

The poster included pictures of brothers Archie and George Tilley, 16 and 15, who nearly killed Worthing dad Alan Willson in a vicious attack with a log in the town’s Longcroft Park in April last year.

An alleged shoplifting incident from Co-op in Durrington on July 19

The two boys had reporting restrictions lifted by Judge QC Christine Henson QC in July after they were both sentenced to 12 years in prison.

We cannot reveal the other 28 children in the poster, which includes 14 girls.

One man, who lives in the Worthing area but wanted to stay anonymous, said: “It’s the way the children move from one store to another with such military precision. They ride these trains willy nilly.

“Why have we not got Asbos? Why have we got no orders banning them from around here?"