Item added 27th February
TAKEN FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Tooting & Balham Crime Update:

ROBBERY - Saturday 17/02/2001, 2100hrs, Brodrick Road, SW17.
Female victim got off train at Wandsworth common BR and walked along St James Drive to above location. Suspect grabbed hold of her handbag, punched her several times in the head, knocked her to the ground and took the property. He is described as being a black male, 18yrs, 6'00" tall, with a dark blue hooded top under a dark jacket and dark trousers.

19/02/2001, 0145hrs, Charlmont Road, SW17
The male victim had walked to his car in Robinson Road, and on his way back to Charlmont Road, when two suspects approached him and asked for money. He was hit over the head and fell to the floor where he was stabbed with what appears to be a screwdriver. The injury wasn't life-threatening. Suspects made off with cash. Both are described as being black males, 23yrs, one 5'10", one 5'07", with the tallest wearing a black puffa jacket with a yellow stripe across the midriff.

19/02/2001, 1900hrs, Henry Doulton Drive, Tooting, SW17
The female victim was walking through an alley, linking Tooting Bec Road to the Henry Doulton Drive, when three suspects ran up behind her and grabbed the laptop computer she was carrying. The victim screamed and the three ran off without the property. All described as being white-skinned males, 14-15yrs of age, one of whom had blonde hair.

Burglary - 17/02/2001-19/02/2001, Gilbey Road, SW17.
The venue was entered through a communal front door, and two flats broken into by forcing the doors. A DVD player, laptop computer and other items of property were taken. Other areas affected by similar crimes include Massingberd Way, Mitcham Road, Upper Tooting Road, Church Lane and Tooting Bec Road, together with roads between these areas.
This is a typical example of the type of burglaries currently taking place in the Tooting area. Communal front/rear doors are forced and then flats within are all burgled. The main type of property stolen being stolen is electrical equipment, CD's and cash. Please make sure your premises are secure and any property is out of view.... Mark your property using your postcode and door/flat number. Property marking kits can be obtained on a library ticket from Public Libraries in the Borough (or ask your Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator). If in doubt as to how property should be marked please seek advice from Wandsworth Crime Prevention Centre, 17/19 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre, London SW18. (Telephone: 020 8871 6562).
Be vigilant to persons loitering around unoccupied or obviously empty premises during the day or at weekends weekend. Please report anything suspicious you see by dialling 999 immediately. Seek advice about security now to prevent yourself being tomorrow's victim.

Vehicle crime
Crimes have recently been committed in Pendle Road, Ritherdon Road, Smallwood Road, Bushnell Road, Totterdown Street, Nimrod Road and in the surrounding streets, and in and around St Georges Hospital.
Vehicles are more vulnerable to crime if property is left on view in them. The general method being employed being to smash quarter-light windows steal the radio and other items. Beware, vehicles are stolen even when alarms and immobilisers are fitted, so be extra vigilant. The criminals are very canny, most vehicle crime happens overnight or the latter part of a day, so the suspects are not often observed committing offences. Please remain extra watchful of property, make sure it is removed from vehicles, and report anyone suspicious persons loitering in the vicinity of parked vehicles. This type of crime only takes a matter of seconds to commit.

Thanks go to PS Tim Dobson of Tooting Police for compiling this information.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Item added 22nd February
TAKEN FROM LETTER FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Dates for your diary:

Wandsworth Superquiz (in aid of the Wandsworth Young Person of the Year Award). Thursday 1st March 2001, doors 6.30pm, begins 7pm at 2nd Floor Staff Canteen, New Town Hall, Wandsworth (enter from main Town Hall Car Park). Maximum size of teams 8 people. Entry fee £3.00 per person. Prize for winning team, spot prizes, raffle, licenced bar, hot and cold food. Please register your team with Andrew Jolly on 020 8871 6567.
If you've not enough people for a team, Email 'hillside' (click on the link at the top of the page) as there are a couple of places left on a local watch team.

National Neighbourhood Watch Week Saturday 16th - Saturday 23rd June 2001 - including 'Good Neighbour Day' on 16th June. For more details visit the National Neighbourhood Watch website at www.neighbourhoodwatch.net.

Item added 22nd February
TAKEN FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
THE POLE FISHERMEN:
Recently several messages have been sent to Watches concerning the activities of thieves, who use a length of cane with a hook on the end to fish through letterboxes for keys. Unfortunately these pleas have gone unheeded and residents are continuing to be plagued by these criminals. Sgt Gunnell of Wandsworth Police has asked me to draw your attention to this once again. He has compiled a list of crimes committed in the south and west of the Borough since December. On all occasions keys were extracted through the letterbox.

TRINITY ROAD, SW17. 3rd December 2000. VW Estate stolen.
WADHAM ROAD, SW15. 3rd January 2001. Entry gained to house, handbag stolen. Peugeot Car stolen from outside of premises.
ERPINGHAM ROAD, SW15. Overnight. 18th January 2001. Car keys stolen and found the next day in the vehicle ignition. (A very lucky escape!)
STORMONT ROAD, SW11. Late evening. 3rd February 2001
SHELGATE ROAD, SW11. 4th February 2001. Overnight. Handbag stolen after keys used to gain entry to the premises.
DUNGARVON ROAD, SW15. Overnight. 5th February 2001. Car keys stolen and used to drive away the family’s Audi Saloon.
ROUTH ROAD, SW18. Between 5th and 10th February 2001. Mercedes Car stolen and found abandoned in Tooting.
TIDESWELL ROAD, SW15. Overnight. 6th February 2001. Used keys to steal Range Rover Car.
A further attempt to steal keys happened in VICTORIA DRIVE, SW19, during the daytime on 6th February 2001, but fortunately the thief was thwarted when the cane became wedged in the letterbox.
Two similar crimes were committed in the Balham Police area. In one, on 11th December 2000 a handbag was stolen, and in the other, on 3rd February 2001 a white skinned suspect was disturbed.
Two further burglaries have occurred when thieves have gained entry by inserting their hands through letter boxes, the latest, an attempted entry, took place in STORMONT ROAD, SW11, during the late evening of 3rd February 2001.

In all of these cases the crime could have been prevented if the victims had fitted a letterbox guard. This prevents the insertion of devices such as canes and hands and is a comparatively cheap remedy. THE BEST REMEDY OF ALL IS NOT TO LEAVE KEYS ANYWHERE NEAR DOORS WITH LETTERBOXES.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE