Item added 26th August 2002
FROM WATCH COORDINATOR:
Lights Out Again! :

Well, there have been no crime reports specific to our area recently, so I thought I'd just relate the latest tale of power failure.

Once again the cable under the east side of Crowborough Road shorted out and disintegrated leaving some houses without power - the problem is clearly visible looking at the picture of the charred remains (right). Interestingly the cable failed close to where it failed last time - possibly because water had got into it. I only hope that this doesn't become a monthly event!

Item added 9th August 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Arson in Pendle Road - Appeal for Witnesses:

Sergeant Julian Hagley reports:

Police are appealing for witnesses to a case of arson in Pendle Road, SW16 at about 12.15am on Saturday the 3rd August 2002, ie Friday night (2nd August), early Saturday morning.

The suspect attempted to set light to the front of the house using petrol as an accelerant. The suspect was seen running away in the direction of Moyser Road, SW16. Did you see him acting suspiciously before hand or did you see him running away, did you sell someone near to the venue with a small amount of petrol, did you see a car in the area in suspicious circumstances? It was only due to the quick thinking actions of neighbours, who extinguished the fire, that damage was not serious, and no one was injured.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under ‘crime bulletins’ on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 9th August 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Have Your Say on Policing in London:

Londoners are being asked to let the Metropolitan Police Service know what they feel are the most important issues regarding policing in the Capital.

A questionnaire on the our website at www.met.police.uk/consultation/form.html gives visitors the opportunity to influence policing priorities and objectives for the year ahead, 2003 - 2004, on subjects ranging from burglary to the investigation of hate crimes (racist and homophobic crime and domestic violence).

All completed forms will go into a draw and the winner will be invited to Scotland Yard to discuss the policing of London with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens and Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority Lord Toby Harris.

Superintendent Chas Bailey, of the MPS's Corporate Planning Branch, said: "We want Londoners to have their say on how their Capital is policed. By involving communities in our policing plans we can ensure we provide the best possible service to the public.

Respondents will remain anonymous but information will be fed back to borough commanders to help them focus on local priorities."

The consultation will end on August 31st and, once evaluated, the results will inform the Met's Policing Priorities for 2003/4.

Item added 6th August 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Balham and Tooting Crime Bulletin - 25th to 29th July 2002:

Burglary
During the period twenty-one burglaries were recorded by the Police, of which thirteen took place in non-residential premises, including shops, premises under renovation and garages.

Of the eight residential Burglaries two were classed as "walk in".

The most unusual one was in the Balham High Road where a suspect actually got up high enough to enter a flat through the skylight.

No apologies are given for reiterating the advice given previously in these messages - fit restrictors to limit the amount windows can be opened. This applies particularly to sash windows, to prevent them opening more than 4 inches. Then you can both enjoy the fresh air and feel safe at the same time.

Robbery (mugging)
Eleven offences were reported over the same period; six in Balham and five in Tooting. There was no specific pattern to these crimes and no readily identified suspects.

One particularly nasty offence took place in Osward Road, SW17. An 86 year old lady had her bag snatched and was knocked over in the process. As a result she suffered a broken hip and is now hospitalised awaiting an operation. The crime occurred on the 24th July 2002, at about 1pm. A neighbour saw someone about 5 feet 4inches tall, and of plump build running in Osward Road towards Upper Tooting Park. He was observed getting into an old Green Vauxhall Corsa with bad paintwork, and was driven away by a 35 year old white man with a full beard, moustache, and black hair.

The robbery squad at Wandsworth (Telephone 020 8247 8462) would like to hear from anyone who was in Osward Rd, or the surrounding streets, who may have seen or heard the attack taking place.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under ‘crime bulletins’ on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 6th August 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association AGM:

The Annual General Meeting of the Wandsworth Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association was held in Wandsworth Civic Suite on Monday 22nd July 2002. Harry Waddingham was re-elected as Chairperson, with Sylvie Chrzanowska as Deputy/Secretary and Jim Maddan as Treasurer.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Superintendent Martin Jauch the Borough Police Commander for Wandsworth, said the events of September 11th had placed considerable strain on police resources, with local officers having to be deployed in Central London to counter any possible terrorist activity. As a consequence both street crime and burglary has risen following falls in previous years.

A 48% rise in street crimes Between April 2001 and March 2002 placed Wandsworth amongst the sixteen worst areas of England and Wales for this type of offence. However this has allowed the Borough to bid for additional resources and manpower to combat robbery. 300 officers have been re-deployed from traffic duties to the worst affected areas in London and an additional 24 officers from the Training School at Hendon have recently supplemented local policing.

Since the launch of the 'Safer Streets' initiative in February 2002, Wandsworth Police have made a considerable number of arrests and have improved the situation to the extent that, whereas before there was an average of seven to eight offences reported daily, that figure has now fallen to four.

Wandsworth Police can now claim one of the biggest successes nationally in countering this type of offence.

Burglary has continued to rise and it is apparent that the drugs market is having an influence. Most burglars are also drug addicts. Of 80 people arrested locally recently for burglary offences, 78 were found to be addicted to illegal substances of one kind or another.

Further analysis has revealed that in 30% of all cases in Wandsworth burglars did not have to break into premises, they simply walked in through doors left open by the occupants. In other words of the ten to fifteen offences reported daily to the Police, five could have been prevented with a little more care on the part of the occupier.

He urged all Watches to pass this message to all members of the public, especially now the warm weather is with us, reminding everyone of the need to secure premises whenever they are unoccupied.

Advice on all aspects of crime prevention can be obtained from:

1) Wandsworth Crime Prevention Centre, 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre (formerly the Arndale Centre), London SW18, (telephone 020 8871 0803), open to callers between 9am and 5pm Mondays to Saturdays.

2) Putney Crime Prevention Shop, next to the Odeon Cinema in Putney High Street, (telephone 020 8785 8874). The shop is open to the public between 10am and 5-30pm, Mondays to Saturdays.

Item added 20th July 2002
NEWS FROM WATCH CO-ORDINATOR:
News from Our Watch Area 19th July:

Just a quick note about the power cut in case you don't know the details:

Electricity was suddenly cut off with a rumble and smell of burning on Fri 19th July at 10.15pm. Most of the houses in our Watch were affected. The cause was the failure of a 28 year old underground cable outside numbers 52 & 54. Some houses had power for a while then lost it.

Work to repair the cable was delayed because a car was parked on an inspection cover in the pavement and workers needed to get down there to divert the supply away from the faulty cable to others in the street. The odd numbered houses had power restored around 9.15am the following day. Those of us on the even numbered side had to wait until just after 3pm - when the faulty section had been removed and made safe.

I'm told that those without power for more than 15 hrs (even numbers) can claim compensation for the contents of their freezers by calling the electricity company. I cannot confirm this is true - so please check with your supplier.

Crimes Affecting Watch Members:

One watch member has recently had a number of plant pots & the flowers within stolen from their front garden. The thieves took one plant pot each night. If you saw or heard anything, please let me know and I'll pass the info on to the Police.

Another Watch member has had his vehicle stolen from outside his house. Thieves first stole the petrol cap and then returned a few days later to take then van (having had keys made from numbers on the petrol cap). The vehicle is a red "Rascal" van. Did you see anyone suspicious near it? Again , please let myself or the Police know if you did.

Yet again, a Watch member's car has been damaged by a passing car while parked on the street. Again the driver responsible drove off without leaving details. Having spoken to a number of watch members about this, I intend to approach the Council about making the road a no-through route, or at least one way. Thanks to the awful traffic lights at Amen Corner and the humps on Rectory Lane, too many cars speed along our road as an alternative. Strikes me we need humps and a way to avoid through traffic in two directions - our road just isn't wide enough. Our road (and others nearby) should also have a 20 mile per hour speed limit for the safety of pedestrians - especially children. If they can do it in Graveney ward, they can do it here! I may be round with a petition!

Item added 20th July 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Balham and Tooting Crime Bulletin - 19th July 2002:

ROBBERY
The robbery picture slightly improved this week with only three crimes reported since the 15th July. All of these happened in the Tooting area.

BURGLARY
A total of 17 burglaries have been recorded in Balham and Tooting since Monday 15th July 2002. Six of these took place in non-residential buildings.

Walkers...Four of these were 'walk-in' crimes. At this time of the year, with the onset of hotter weather, it is a great temptation to open all the windows and go and sit in the rear garden. Thieves are well aware of this and when considering premises to burgle look out especially for open sash-type windows.

Whenever residents are outside of the house, they should either shut the windows or fit a stop to restrict opening to no more than 4 inches. These devices are not expensive, are obtainable from any good locksmith or hardware superstore, and can be fitted by any competent do-it-yourselfer.

...slippers... Thieves specialising in slipping the 'Yale' locks on front doors struck again on two occasions this week. In both premises no mortice locks were fitted to the door to provide extra protection.

...and climbers... Some burglars climb to gain access and open upstairs windows can be a tempting target. This was the case one night this week, when a lady occupier was rudely awakened by someone trying to climb through her open bedroom window.

Multi -occupancy dwellings There is good evidence that burglars target multi-occupancy buildings, particularly those near railway stations they know will be unoccupied during the working day. The most vulnerable is likely to be the front door. To overcome this problem:

1. Replace a weak door. It should be as strong as the main entry door.
2. Make sure the doors and frames are strong and in good condition. Doors should be made of solid core construction - 44mm thick.
3. Fit an automatic deadlock a third of the way down the door. This locks automatically when the door is closed, but when locked externally with a key, cannot be opened from the inside.
4. Fit a five-lever deadlock about a third of the way up the door. One kite-marked to at least BS3621 should satisfy most insurance requirements.
5. Glass panels on or around the door are especially vulnerable. Consider replacing standard glass with laminated glass or fitting additional internal screens to prevent locks from being released after glass has been broken.
6. Fit hinge bolts to help stop the door being pulled off its hinges.
   Fit a steel strip, (a London bar), on the side of the frame receiving the tongue of the lock to strengthen it.
7. Consider having a door telephone entry system installed. Never 'buzz' open the door for strangers or hold the door open for someone who is arriving as you are leaving.
8. Visible burglar alarms make burglars think twice. There are many systems on the market, ranging from cheaper DIY alarms to more sophisticated alarms costing hundreds of pounds.
   
   Easily installable 'wire-free' alarms are now available whereby sensors fitted around the house transmit radio detection signals to a control system. These systems usually take 3-4 hours to fit. Wired alarms are cheaper but take longer - around a day - to install. Never install an alarm without seeking prior guidance from a Police Crime Prevention Officer. In Wandsworth they can be contacted by telephoning 020 8871 0803.
   
   Get specialist advice and a number of quotes.
   
   Consult your insurance company for companies they recommend before deciding which best suits your needs. The system should meet BS4737 (professionally installed) or BS6707 (DIY). Remember, a badly fitted alarm can create problems in itself. Don't install a DIY system unless you have the electrical knowledge and practical skill to do so.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under ‘crime bulletins’ on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 20th July 2002
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT:
Prevention or a Painful Cure:

Inspector Kevin McNama, the officer in charge at Balham Police points out that this week three burglaries have occurred in the Balham and Tooting area where suspects have simply either walked in through open doors, or leaned in through open windows to steal property.

In the vast majority of other burglaries, suspects forced open doors and windows that had no additional security such as deadbolts, devices to restrict the opening of sash windows, or mortice locks. In some case the mortice lock, although fitted, had not been engaged when the premises were left unattended.

Excellent advice on how to carry out self-assessment of domestic security can be found in a Metropolitan Police booklet, 'How Secure is your home?' available free of charge from all Police Stations. A Neighbourhood Watch in the area is also an excellent deterrent to crime, and provides a focus for the distribution of information on crime and how to prevent it.

For further information on setting-up or joining a Watch, or to obtain a free copy of the leaflet by post, please contact the Wandsworth Crime Prevention Centre, 17 Arndale Walk, Wandsworth Shopping Centre (formerly the Arndale Centre), London SW18, (telephone 020 8871 0803). The Centre is open to callers between 9am and 5pm Mondays to Saturdays.

Residents should ask themselves - prevent today by upgrading poor security, or risk losing all? It's far too late to think about it when the thieves have been and gone. The bottom line is.... if you don't look after your property... no one else can. Do it now!!

Urgent appeal for witnesses to a robbery

On Sunday 7th July 2002, at about 6.30pm, the London Ambulance Service was called by a man who refused to give his details to Tooting Common, by the pond on Elmbourne Road.

On their arrival the paramedics found a 23year old white man in a collapsed condition near some bushes with serious neck injuries. It has been established subsequently he may have been lying there for about 2 hours, having been attacked by three black youths who stole a small amount of money and a Polish passport. The young man is visiting this country from Poland. He does not speak English and this is making communication difficult for both police and more importantly, medical staff. In all probability, he will be permanently paralysed from the neck down. The Police desperately need to trace any witnesses who may have seen a fight or argument near the pond. The call for assistance was made from a call box at Elmbourne Rd at its junction with Dr Johnson Avenue. They urgently need to trace the person who made the call, or to hear from anyone who saw a person making a call from the telephone box at around 6-30pm.

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under ‘crime bulletins’ on www.wandsworth.gov.uk