Figures released today show that muggings in Croydon have increased by 18 per cent in the past year, at a time when across London, the number of “robberies against a person” have fallen by 8 per cent, prompting the local MP to describe them as “truly shocking figures”.
The rise in muggings in Croydon is second only to Westminster across the Metropolitan Police area. In Sutton, muggings were down by 1.5 per cent in the 12 months to February 2013; in Bromley, it was down by 17 per cent; in Lambeth it was down 14.6 per cent; in Merton, down 14 per cent; while in Southwark, muggings were up 6.2 per cent.
The figures are significant, since they cover a full 12-month period soon after the riots that hit Croydon on 8/8.
The Met’s statistics show that street robbery in Croydon has gone up by more than anywhere else in outer London, and more than anywhere else in south London.
Across outer London, Croydon now has the highest number of street robberies, at 1,888 in the year to February 2013.
It cannot be mere coincidence that Bromley, Merton and Sutton all saw smaller falls in their numbers of police and PCSOs than Croydon between 2010 and 2012. Croydon lost more than half of its PCSOs and 12 per cent of its police officers.
The Mayor of London is proposing to leave the whole of the borough of Croydon with just one central police station. That may be a maverick way of reducing the crime rate, as it will undoubtedly make it far more difficult for members of the public to report crime.
Steve Reed MP: “shocking” rise in street crime
Croydon North will be left without a police station at all under the closures proposed, and the local MP, Steve Reed, said today, “These are truly shocking figures.
“Street robberies are falling across London as a whole but in Croydon the number has soared – even while the number falls in similar and neighbouring boroughs.
“The Mayor of London will have known of these figures when he proposed to close every police station in Croydon North and he has still not explained why he cut police numbers in Croydon by more than other outer London boroughs,” Reed said.
“After the riots the independent panel called for a greater police presence in north Croydon but despite promises made at the time, Boris Johnson is now doing the contrary, closing police stations and presiding over a cut in police numbers.
“He cannot ignore these figures, nor the justified anger of people across Croydon – he should take this opportunity to stop, think and withdraw his foolish proposals and instead take proper action to make our streets safer.”
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I have been seriously concerned about the shocking levels of ‘Robbery of the Person’ crime that is happening in my neck of the woods over the last five years. I’ve spoken about it at various meetings over the period, written letters too.
The authorities just don’t seem able to get to grips with the problem. Oh, they wring their hands and and say all the right words of assurance but it just gets worse.
I’ve been attacked in the street and it’s quite traumatic. I think we need more coppers on the beat and we certainly need to find something constructive for some of the wayward youngsters to do…Ha, there’s a thought, we could train them up as PCSOs and give them a start in life.
There are serious doubts about the statistics produced by the police. During the riots in Croydon they recorded incidents by location rather than the actual offences committed.
So to find a statistic rising is a serious blow to their figure massaging strategy. If they are unable to manipulate this it must be dangerous out there.
Maybe if they stop wasting so many resources with completely over the top policing of Palace matches they might be able to put more officers into dealing with this.
Croydon town,
And the thievin is easy
Cop shops are closing
And the crime is high
Oh, Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s bling is good lookin’
So hand it over
Or you’ll die
with apologies to George Gershwin