Item added 9th August
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Tooting & Balham Briefing 8th August:

STREET CRIME
As reported last week, it seems that the majority of attacks in this area are upon lone females, late at night, particularly from underground stations. Please beware and always be cautious, even if your journey on foot is short.

Recently there have been several attacks on lone females in the vicinity of Clapham Common Underground station, more especially in Nightingale Lane SW12. All have been carried out by one man, identifiable by the dark deerstalker cap that he wears.

One such incident occurred on Friday 3rd August 2001, when a woman was walking along this street. She was pushed and her mobile phone was stolen. The police believe that she had been followed from the station by her assailant, described by the victim as being 5' 9" in height, with black skin and aged about 28 years.

If you are at all concerned about personal security, particularly if you are a woman and often walk home alone late at night, it is advisable to invest in a personal alarm. These only cost £5 and can be purchased at the Crime Prevention Centre, located at 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre, London SW15, (telephone 020 8871 0803). Staff will also be happy to advise on any other aspect of crime prevention between 9am and 5pm Monday to Saturday. Alternatively alarms can be obtained from the Putney Crime Shop, next to the Odeon Cinema in Putney High Street. It is open to callers between 10am and 5.30pm and can be contacted on 020 8785 8874.


A second incident occurred on Clapham Common SW11, also on the night of Friday 3rd August 2001. A man walking along the common was confronted by seven youths of Afro-Caribbean origin, who demanded money from him. One was carrying a baseball bat. He refused to accede to their demands and was punched viciously in the face.

Noticing that the youths were becoming increasingly aggressive and agitated, the quick-witted victim told them that he had Aids and was dying. On hearing this the youths fled empty-handed.



BURGLARY
Two burglaries occurred in Bedford Hill, London SW12, on Sunday 5th August 2001.
In the first incident, a house divided into flats was entered. The burglar gained access through an insecure front door and then burgled one of the flats. Witnesses describe the offender as stockily built, white and aged about 28 years. He was wearing white T-shirt and dark trousers.

In the second, which occurred at 11-30am, entry was also gained through an insecure door and a bed-sit broken in to. The description of the intruder was similar to the previous suspect, a white man, aged 28 years, with blonde hair and wearing a white T-shirt and dark coloured trousers.

When entering or leaving premises it is important to check the door is securely closed. Never take for granted that the door has locked itself. It is all too easy for a thief to gain access to all of the building once they have overcome the entrance door, as demonstrated in these instance.


Another burglary was rather more disquieting and violent. Two suspects entered into a home on Lingwell Road SW17 in the small hours between Tuesday 7th August and Wednesday 8th August 2001. It appears the intruders were looking for someone and did not wish to be recognised, as they were both wearing black ski masks. Clearly they
intended to harm someone, as both were clutching silver baseball bats. Upon their discovery a resident in the house was sprayed in the face with a noxious spray. Nothing was actually taken, though the police are concerned about this particular incident due to the violence threatened.

The two intruders are described as being 6 feet tall, black skinned, and aged approximately 19. Both were dressed in dark clothing and wore ski-masks. If you were in the area and saw these men or can provide information to assist the police to identify them, please contact Sergeant Victoria Machin on 020 8247 8863, particularly if anyone saw or knew.


RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
TOOTING:
Brudenell Road, Ribblesdale Road, Lethworth Street, Crockerton Road, Wiseton
Road, Thrale Road, Kyrle Road

BALHAM
Ravenswood Road, Bedford Hill, Lysias Road, Oakmead Road.



MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME
There has been a lot of reported vehicle crime in the past few days, with most being theft of cars. Below we have the registration numbers and time and date when they were stolen. If you have any information, again, please let the police know immediately.

Date: Thursday 2nd/ Friday 3rd August 2001
Time: 8pm- 1.30 am
Venue: Nightingale Lane
Make&Type: Green Peugeot 806
Registration: R595 LEL

Date: Thursday 2nd August 2001
Time: 7am- 8am
Venue: Edencourt Road SW16
Make&Type: White Ford Transit
Registration: L216 OAK

Date: Thursday 2nd August 2001
Time: 3.30 pm- 6.30 pm
Venue: Rectory Lane SW17
Make&Type: Silver Mondeo
Registration: R880 SWB

Date: Wednesday 1st August 2001
Time: 10.50pm- 11.30pm
Venue: Thurleigh Avenue SW12
Make&Type: Blue Yamaha Motorcycle
Registration: Y377 NLO

Date: Monday 30th July 2001
Time: 7.30pm- 9.15pm
Venue: Blackenham Road SW17
Make&Type: Black Vauxhall Omega
Registration: R980 FUF

Date: Thursday 26th/ Friday 27th July 2001
Time: 5.30pm- 12.00am
Venue: Smallwood Road SW17
Make&Type: Blue Rover 216 Vitesse
Registration: D516 ATF

Date: Friday 27th July 2001
Time: 9am- 12 midday
Venue: Kenlaw Road SW17
Make&Type: Green Subaru
Registration: E647 YRO

Date: Thursday 26th- Saturday 28th July 2001
Time: Not known
Venue: Mantilla Road SW17
Make&Type: Red Renault 5
Registration: F110 HKL

Please remember:
The owners may have had their vehicles returned to them. Always contact the police to deal with the situation. If parked and unattended ring the Wandsworth Police Control Room, telephone 020 8672 9922. If you see someone with the vehicle, DO NOT INTERVENE - call 999 IMMEDIATELY.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Item added 6th August
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Tooting & Balham Briefing 3rd August:

STREET CRIME
Recently the Balham and Tooting areas have suffered a spate of robberies, targeting in particular lone females. Most of these have taken place around the SW17 area. In all incidents the assailants are reported to be males, and the robberies have occurred at night, or during the late evening.


The most alarming of all these incidents was one that occurred on Friday 28th July 2001 in Gambole Road SW17. The female victim had just come out of Tooting Broadway Station. She turned into Gambole Road and was composing a text message on her mobile phone when four suspects approached her. They engaged her in a conversation about the make of the phone, when one of them grabbed her arm and demanded she handed it over to him. At the same time, he was pointing a gun to her head. As she broke away, she heard a
clicking, as if the gun was about to be fired, although there was no following 'bang'.

All the suspects were aged between 20 and 22 years, one being white and three black. The main perpetrator of this robbery is described as being black skinned, 5'6" in height, with a wide nose, and was wearing a blue hooded top (with his hood up) and dark trousers. The police are especially concerned about this incident due to its particularly violent nature.



Three incidents occurred on Tuesday 31st July 2001. The first of these happened in St Benedicts Close SW17. Once again the victim was using a mobile phone at the time of the attack. An Afro-Caribbean male aged approximately 15 years struck her on the back of her neck, stole the phone, and made a rapid escape. This suspect was wearing a hood top and dark jeans. He is reported to be about 5'6" in height.


The second robbery, again on a lone female, took place in Franciscan Road SW17 at the junction of Topsham Road as she coming from Tooting Broadway Station. She was thrown violently to the floor and her bag was taken. The assailant described as black, and aged approximately 20 years, with a wide nose and wearing a denim jacket, dark clothing, and a dark baseball cap, jumped into a BMW car with the index number N733 CPU.



Readers are reminded that personal alarms provide security in case of attack. These can be bought for only £5 at the Crime Prevention Centre, 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre, London SW18, telephone 020 8871 0803. The Centre is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Saturday. Putney Crime Prevention Shop next to the Odeon Cinema in Putney High Street, London SW15 also carries a supply. They can be contacted on 020 8785 8874 and the premises are open to callers between 10am and 5-30pm.


The third robbery involved a male victim and occurred whilst he was walking along Wandsworth Common (Northside) SW4. He was confronted by two white youths, aged about 17, who were abusive and aggressive. One of these youths struck the victim on the head with a bottle, and as he fell to the ground, the other sat on his chest and stole his trainers.



BURGLARY
This week a number of apparently linked burglaries have been reported in the SW12 area. Three occurred on Friday 27th July 2001, and one on Sunday 29th July 2001. In each case, no one has come forward with information to help identify the burglars. The method of entry used is to kick the front doors down, conduct an untidy search of the premises and take property.

On Monday 30th July 2001a burglary was reported in Sistova Road SW12. The suspect gained entry to the house by forcing the French patio doors open with a garden spade. The house was searched untidily and many small items were taken. Unusually electrical items were ignored. The thief was described as being a black male, aged about 22 years. He was wearing a dark vest and jeans.

May we remind everyone to reassess the security of their sheds and to make sure garden implements are locked away when they are not in use.



BEWARE - "WATER BOARD" CON-MAN AT WORK
On Monday 30th July 2001 a distraction (artifice) burglary took place in Byrne Road SW12. In this case the suspect gained entry to a house by posing as a Water Board Official. As all too often occurs in this type of case, the victim was elderly. The suspect informed him that he was there to check his house for 'flooding'. When the victim became suspicious he started to shout for the supposed 'official' to leave.

The con-man is described as a white male who spoke in a soft Irish voice. He is aged about 18 years, with fair hair and wore a light coloured shirt.



RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES have been reported in the following areas:
Balham: Byrne Road, Westbury Road, Mayford Road, Alderbrook Road, Lysias Road and Ravenswood Road

Tooting: CROWBOROUGH ROAD, Brudenell Road, Selkirk Road, Crockerton Road and Wiseton Road



GOOD NEWS .....
Happily, two men have been arrested and charged for the attempted burglary of commercial premises in Balham High Road on Sunday 29th July 2001. They were arrested on the scene of the crime, having been spotted by patrolling officers whilst they were using tools to force entry to the premises.



MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME
There have been several car thefts recently, all of which are listed below, along with the approximate times and dates in which they were taken. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of these vehicles, please inform the police immediately.

Date Wednesday 1st August 2001
Time 10.50 pm-11.30 p.m.
Venue Thurleigh Avenue SW12
Make and Type Blue Yamaha YZF R1 Motorcycle
Registration Y377 NLO

Date Monday 30th July 2001
Time 7.30 p.m.- 9.15 p.m.
Venue Blakenham Road SW17
Make and Type Black Vauxhall Omega
Registration R980 FUF

Date Thursday 26th/Friday 27th July 2001
Time 5.30pm- 12.00 a.m.
Venue Smallwood Road SW17
Make and Type Blue Rover 216 Vit.
Registration D516 ATF

Date Friday 27th July 2001
Time 9 am- 12pm
Venue Kenlaw Road SW17
Make and Type Green Subaru
Registration E647 YRO

Date Thursday 26th- Saturday 28th July 2001
Time N/A
Venue Mantilla Road SW17
Make and Type Red Renault 5
Registration F110 HKL

Please remember: The owners may have had their vehicles returned to them, so contact the police to deal with the situation.

If parked and unattended please contact the Wandsworth Police Control Room, telephone 020 8350 1122.

If you see someone with the vehicle call 999.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Item added 28th July
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Balham Con Man:

Over the last 2-3 weeks, several complaints have been made to the police by residents in the Balham area regarding an individual knocking on doors in the early hours, claiming he was locked out of his flat. His ploy was to say he lived a couple of doors away, needed money to get a taxi to his landlords house to collect a spare key, and would return the money the next day.

A number of people have parted with around £20 to this man and of course haven't seen hide not hair of him since!

As a result of good police work, on Tuesday this week, the police arrested a suspect for burglary, deception and theft from motor vehicles parked in the Balham area.

Item added 28th July
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Tooting Crime Update 27th July:

ROBBERY OF LONE FEMALES
The robbery of lone females in the vicinity of Tooting, Tooting Bec and Balham Underground Stations continues to be a matter of major concern to the police. As reported on our last bulletin, all have taken place late at night. In all cases the assailants have been black males. On all occasions their handbags have been stolen.

The first crimes this week occurred on Thursday 19th July 2001 in Chertsey Street, SW17, and on Friday 20th July 2001 in Gassiot Road, SW17. On these occasions the victim had come from Tooting station and both described their assailant as being about 19 years old, 6'0" tall and of athletic build, with short hair. On the first he was wearing sports clothing and trainers and on the second, a white T-shirt and jeans.

On Friday 22nd July 2001, in Fernlea Road, SW12 a female pedestrian was approached from behind, her handbag was snatched and the suspect ran off. The suspect in this case is said to be 16 years of age, about 5'6" tall and wearing a dark blue hooded top and light coloured trousers.

The same night another lone female as robbed in Gaskarth Road, SW12, on her way home from Balham Station. This time two men were involved were described as being 22 years of age. The person who snatched the bag was approximately 5'11" tall, wearing dark coloured clothing and a long jacket. His accomplice was of a similar age.

The latest crime happened on Tuesday 24th July in Boundaries Road, SW12. The difference this time was that the victim alighted from a bus at Balham Underground Station. This was a particularly nasty crime because the 20 year-old male who grabbed the handbag implied to the victim he had a gun, adding a particular terror to his victim. This man was wearing a
double-breasted jacket and was accompanied by another male of similar age and height.

Now for the good news - a male was arrested in the Tooting area shortly after an offence on Wednesday 25th July 2001. However it is obvious that other people have been involved in these offences and females returning home from any of these locations late at night are strongly recommended to carry a personal alarm. These are obtainable for £5 from the Crime Prevention Centre, 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre, London SW18 (Telephone 020 8871 0803), or the Putney Crime Prevention Shop located next to the Odeon Cinema in Putney High Street. Each alarm comes complete with batteries and instructions on how to use it.


BEWARE - PICKPOCKETS
Pickpockets have been active once again, this time in the Upper Tooting Road area. In this instance on Saturday 21st July 2001 the victim was boarding a number 219 bus when their attention was distracted by a black male, described as being around 48 years old, and 6'0"tall, whilst a second black male stole the victim's wallet.


RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY
Residential burglaries have been reported in the following Balham roads:
Nightingale Lane, Roseneath Road, Malwood Road, Bedford Hill, Dinsmore Road and Rossiter Road.

In the Tooting area similar offences have been reported in:
Topsham Road, Brenda Road, Stapleton Road, Selkirk Road, Graveney Road and Gassiot Road.


MOTOR VEHICLE CRIME
The Police would appreciate help to trace the persons who are stealing motorcycles and scooters in the vicinity of Blackshaw Road.

If you are aware who is responsible for these crimes or are aware of any lock-up garage which could be being used to strip them down for parts, please contact Sergeant Julian Hagley on 020 8247 8383.

Alternatively to give information anonymously, please contact CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111. You may be eligible for a reward if the information given leads to the arrest and conviction of the offenders.

Many of these thefts can be prevented if appropriate locks are used to secure the vehicle. A leaflet giving advice on how to do this is obtainable free of charge from the Crime Prevention Centre, 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre, London SW18 (Telephone 020 8871 0803).


OUTSTANDING LOST OR STOLEN VEHICLES
The following vehicles have been stolen recently in the Tooting and Balham areas and the police have requested help in tracing their current location:

21-24 July, Penwortham Rd SW16, Blue VW Passatt K290BBD.
21-22 July overnight, Badminton Rd, Green Renault Clio L572EJA.
19-20 July overnight, Thrale Rd SW16 White Mercedes van R196EMY.
21 July between 2220-2225, Edencourt Rd SW16 Blue VW Polo Y191HGY.
18-19 July overnight, Hillbury Road SW17, Blue Fiat Punto M845YGC.
16-19 July between 1800-1900 CROWBOROUGH ROAD SW17, Green Renault Clio H198HLF.

Please remember the owners may have had their vehicles returned to them, so contact the police to deal with the situation. If parked and unattended please contact the Wandsworth police control room, telephone 020 8350 1122. If you see someone with the vehicle call 999.

Item added 28th July
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Latest Mobile Phone Scam:
This Information has been supplied by BT re a new mobile scam and was forwarded to the Watchlink Unit by Aslett Street Neighbourhood Watch and Wandsworth Police:

It has just come to light that a new mobile scam is being operated at the moment. The user will receive a text message stating "Please call me on 0901 150 0065 Urgent" and will say it has been sent by "KB". When the user rings the number all they will hear is an engaged tone. However this is not a real engaged tone, but a recording of the tone which is charged at £5 (pounds) per minute. The caller will ring again and again, with the recipient mounting up a sizable bill every time they ring.