Crime scene: the first violent incident occurred near Nando’s on Croydon High Street, where someone was seen armed with a machete. The police have made no arrests in this case
Croydon town centre is close to becoming a no-go zone, as the police have been issuing special restriction notices that give them greater powers of stop and search, while the local MP has appealed to parents and guardians not to allow their teenaged children to congregate around high street chicken shops and fast food restaurants.
Sarah Jones, the Labour MP for Croydon Central, issued a statement yesterday following the recent spate of violent incidents, under a heading which described events as a “crime surge”.
One of the incidents saw two boys as young as 13 taken to hospital with stab wounds after a fight involving at least six youths outside McDonald’s on Church Street.
Jones, who is Keir Starmer’s shadow minister for police, issued her statement with the intention of reassuring residents worried about the recent increase in violent youth crime on the streets of Croydon.
While Jones made her remarks, there was another stabbing in the area, this time at Papermill Close in Carshalton. The incident was reported at around 4.30pm. Two men were taken to hospital, neither with life-threatening injury. One had a stab would in his thigh.
Victim: Zaian Aimable-Lina was one of four Croydon teens killed through knife crime in 2021
Yesterday also marked the opening of the Old Bailey murder trial following the death in December 2021 in Ashburton Park of 15-year-old Zaian Aimable-Lina. The accused, who is now 17 (and too young to be identified in case reports) denies murder and a secondary charge of possessing a blade.
The court heard how Aimable-Lina and the accused had been with a group of friends in the park to smoke cannabis. According to witnesses, after a brief disagreement, Aimable-Lina was stabbed. He died at the scene due to “massive blood loss” from his punctured his heart and lung. The case continues.
MP Jones issued her statement on social media, saying that she was writing “… to reassure constituents after a recent surge in violent crime in and around East Croydon”.
She included an update on the situation from the Metropolitan Police, who have put more officers on patrol in the town centre.
Appeal: Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones
“Violence on our streets is completely unacceptable,” Jones said.
“The police have increased their presence in the town centre and agencies and charities have been working really hard to try and divert young people away from crime.
“But clearly people will be worried about the events of the last 10 days.”
The first of those recent violent incidents occurred outside Nando’s on the High Street on Saturday, March 18, where witnesses reported seeing someone wielding a machete.
On Monday, March 20, police arrested two men, one charged with attempted murder, the other with possessing an offensive weapon. “The victim is still in a life-threatening condition,” the MP said.
The third incident was the group fight in Church Street. “The victims in this case are 13 years old, and injuries sustained were not life-threatening or life-changing,” Jones wrote.
“Two suspects have been arrested and bailed.”
The MP’s statement continued: “The police have a policing plan in place with significant resources. This includes schools officers, town centre teams, Violence Suppression Units, robbery squad and schools officers on their street duties. They will be patrolling Croydon Town Centre (including Church Street) between 3pm and 10pm each day.
“Please rest assured that I am in close communication with local police in Croydon. They are working hard to keep the borough safe.”
And she added: “There has been a noticeable increase in school kids congregating in the town centre in afternoons. I would be grateful if parents/guardians would discourage their children from going to the town centre in big groups after school.”
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