Ms Abello, who operates Deb’s Affordable Products at the Bomaderry Plaza in Meroo Street, was so fed up with treatment meted out to her by a gang of feral teenagers she posted on Facebook over the weekend that she would be closing her doors.

Like most business operators in the region, she has faced the usual difficulties and long hours associated with running a small concern. To then be subjected to constant harassment by out-of-control teenagers, one of whom even threatened to kill a staff member is beyond comprehension. 

In bringing her story out into the open, she has attracted a huge amount of support on social media and generated widespread consternation about how children can go so far off the rails that any form of decency or respect is simply, sadly absent.

Naturally, questions are being asked about where the parents are and why they’re not imposing and enforcing the standards of behaviour the community expects. One thing is almost certain: left to run wild like this, these children are on a fast track to a life of criminality, much of which will be spent behind bars.

Just the other week, one of our reporters was out walking in the Nowra CBD when police descended on a group of teens who had been reported for shoplifting. When he photographed one of them who had been collared by an officer, he was treated to an obscene gesture – the miscreant obviously couldn’t care less that he had just entered the juvenile justice system. 

Most of our young people show great promise. They are respectful, courteous and intelligent and most of them, guided by caring parents, will go on to live fulfilling, meaningful lives. And that makes the contrast with those who choose to do the wrong thing and intimidate and harass people all the more tragic.

We hope for their sakes, that these young folk causing all this trouble are brought to heel quickly and diverted from a useless life of crime. And we hope Debbie Abello can get on with running her business without fear.