A fight involving a large group of young teens outside a burger restaurant and two other violent incidents have prompted the Metropolitan Police to order special measures for the town centre
Crime scene: police cordoned off Church Street yesterday following the mass fight which saw two 13-year-olds hospitalised
A teenager was in hospital fighting for his life this morning following the latest spate of stabbings in and around Croydon, while there were also reports of shots being fired, and the town centre was placed under a special police restrictions order.
It was just after 5pm on Monday when police were called to a fight involving a large group of youths outside McDonald’s on Church Street.
Two boys, both aged 13, were found with stab injuries. “Their injuries were assessed as not life-threatening,” a statement by the Met Police said. The boys did, however, remain in hospital overnight.
Two boys, aged 13 and 14, were arrested, the first on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and affray, and the second on suspicion of affray.
An hour earlier, just after 4pm, there had been a separate incident at Elmwood Road which saw emergency services called. An 18-year-old man was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Two other men, both 18, were arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and remain in custody.
There had already been another town centre stabbing, in broad daylight, outside Nando’s on the High Street on Saturday afternoon.
Last night, the police issued a Section 60 order in Croydon town centre until 6am this morning, allowing officers to stop and search without suspicion, in response to what they described as “shocking violent incidents”.
Then, at 9.51pm, emergency services were called to Cudham Drive, New Addington, following reports that a group of people armed with weapons were damaging a car. Further calls were made with reports that a man had been stabbed and shots fired.
On arrival a man was found with a minor cut to his hand. Officers found no evidence of a firearms discharge. No arrests have been made in relation to the incident, the police say.
Concerned: Supt Mitch Carr
Superintendent Mitch Carr said: “Croydon residents will rightly be concerned at this spate of unacceptable and shocking violent incidents. We of course share that concern and are doing everything we can to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators.
“A number of people remain in police custody. At this stage in our enquires there is no information to suggest any link between them. They are all being treated as isolated incidents.
“We do not and will not tolerate violence on our streets.
“Local people can expect to see an enhanced policing presence across the borough, and anyone who has information that could assist us with these investigations is encouraged to report it immediately.”
- Anyone with information can call 101 or tweet@MetCC with the refence CAD 4785/20MAR (Elmwood), CAD 5376/20 Mar (Church Street) or CAD 7521/20 Mar (Cudham Drive)
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