The Metropolitan Police have today claimed that there were no robberies in West Croydon for a whole month while Operation Cleveland was being conducted.
Sniffing out crime: the Met’s specialist teams deployed in West Croydon included dogs …
The operation, with increased officers on the streets and more stop-and-search, began on Monday, February 8, and followed a weekend of violence in which there were 10 stabbings in the area, including a murder in Selhurst.
The police say that during Operation Cleveland, they arrested 171 individuals and recovered 43 weapons. The arrests were mainly for drug or weapon-related offences and “led to an overall crime reduction – and zero robberies in West Croydon”, the police said. Typically, at least five robberies are reported every week in West Croydon.
As well as locally-based officers, Operation Cleveland saw the Met’s Violence Suppression Unit was deployed, as well as specially-trained sniffer dog units to help with drug searches, and even the Metropolitan Police’s Mounted Branch took part in the extensive operation.
“Over the last month we have been highly visible in the community and carried out many arrests and daily weapon and drug sweeps,” said acting eergeant Russell Easterbrook, who led the operation.
…and the Met’s Mounted Branch
“Typically there are up to five robberies a week but thanks to our visibility and activity, there were none in West Croydon during the month. Local residents, businesses and community leaders have been really supportive in helping us to tackle crime in the area.
“We were based at the CVA Centre on London Road and received many tip-offs and intelligence reports leading to positive weapon sweeps and arrests.
“For example, officers were left a handwritten note with detailed information as to where to find a cannabis hiding spot used by the local drug dealers. This led to officers finding a large amount of cannabis.
A community tip-off led to the discovery of a large cache of cannabis. Photos: Met Police
“The community have absolutely loved seeing police horses and dogs in West Croydon, and the dogs in particular helped us to find hidden knives and to take drugs off the streets of London.
“The operation helped us to engage with the community and local businesses, and we’ve had some great feedback in how such activities are bearing down on crime and making West Croydon a safer place for all.”
Superintendent Andy Brittain said: “This has been a great effort by the community and police officers and has led to some fantastic results.
“We are now working on the information we received to tackle crime in the area and will continue to keep a visible policing presence in West Croydon.”
Read more: Police begin murder inquiry as ‘senseless’ stabbings continue
If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com- Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network
- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and BBC London News
- ROTTEN BOROUGH AWARDS: Croydon was named the country’s rottenest borough in 2020 in the annual round-up of civic cock-ups in Private Eye magazine – the fourth successive year that Inside Croydon has been the source for such award-winning nominations
Inside Croydon: 3million page views in 2020. Seen by 1.4million unique visitors- Content on this site is also licensed via Ping! News. To access content for copying in full or in part, please visit https://pingnews.uk/
It is very easy to highlight a small operation in a small area for a limited period of time – and state there are no robberies – but that is not the reality is it? There are robberies and other crimes going on and have carried on in West Croydon during this operation. I am sure that the residents faced with their goods missing from cars in the last month from the drive by car lock poppers feel they have been robbed as have the ones who had their belongings taken from their property or person.
The speed dial drug deliveries progress and continue as normal as does the group (gang) meetings on the back roads in the Mercs BMWs and Range Rovers and the group sessions in the backs of cars – well makes for an interesting leisurely stroll for the hours exercise in the evening. Yep not much social distancing there – could not get a Rizzla between them
171 individuals arrested = how many convicted? 43 weapons – are we talking Zombie or other knives over 4 inches and loaded guns or something else?
It is great for the period that this happens and Mr Brittain should take some comfort that for a short period he made a difference to a small part of West Croydon and we should all be thankful for this one off effort in two decades of ceaseless crime.
Until we have a properly resourced and effective Police service that looks to prevent crime and will always respond to all crimes no matter a person social class all we are left with is helicopter policing responses and only when too many serious stabbings and deaths occur that cannot be kept quiet.
Police officers do hard and thankless work and are deserving of courtesy and respect from all of us. They also deserve the resources and support along with effective processes and a legislative system that is fair and equitable so they can implement to the best of their ability.
Sadly the exercise is the proverbial 5 loaves and two fish for the multitude without a messiah.
It would be very useful if Mr Brittain came forward with a costed and detailed plan of how he wants to prevent crime and tackle the issues pertaining to Croydon moving forward and was open about the resource issues and what the Community can do to assist.