Vehicle Crime (in East Dulwich)

[TJ]

I have read some posts on here regarding petrol thefts and a few break-ins over the last few weeks.

I have been subject to one break-in and one petrol theft (2 different vehicles) in the same week. Over the last 2 months, there have been 3 vehicle break-ins and 3 petrol thefts I am aware of on our road alone.

I am not a doom monger and accept living in London has its ups and downs, but this does seem to be a spike in activity.

I am keen to hear what happened to you (not your neighbour, not a friend etc) and where you live roughly (just road is fine) so I can present this to the local police to see how this tallies up with reported crime to see if we can get some additional focus on car crime and more patrols. Mr Barber / Eggleston - do you have anything to add?

It would also help give us a guide to where these crimes are taking place with a view to seeing if there is a centric trend that needs focus.

This is not a witch hunt, and certainly no vigilante exercise. It is using the reach of the WWW for research and to hopefully reduce local crime.

Pls PM me is you have concerns - only post about crimes on here pls, no rants about big brother etc.

[TJ]

This is a quick update - I have already had an astonishing amount of replies from some of you.

It is also fascinating as there are two distinct sets of issues, petrol theft and break ins.

Please please keep the info coming. It will make a difference.

[TJ]

please keep them coming. 15 reports and we are getting a pattern forming.

The police will meet me to discuss this so it really does help.

[James Barber]

Hi TJ,

Happy to facilitiate, support in anyway.

Will be fascinated to hear the casework you're collecting for the Police.

BUT if we all report such crime the Police would already have this picture.

I know East dulwich Police have had the latest crime mapping training. So do report every crime and suspicious activity and they can intelligently act.

[TJ]

Could anyone who has not PM'd me with any problems pls do so as I would like to contact the police soon.

Thanks,

TJ

[VFJ]

My scooter was targeted again last night - according to James Barber arrestes have been made, but it has clearly not resolved the problem.

Can you please keep sending me details of any petrol thefts or other crimes so we can keep the pressure up.

Thanks.

[TJ]

Post above supposed to be by me...

[Nero]

My next door neighbour had his car stolen about five-six weeks ago from outside his house, opposite Goodrich School on G'rich Road. There has been no other car crime as far as I know up here.

[TJ]

Ok, I was hit again last night. 3 times in 3 weeks.

The police are not responding at all to any calls I make.

Mr Barber, I need some help accessing someone in the plod who may actually be able to make a suggestion or help.

[Sue]

What road are you in, TJ?

[TJ]

To all the people who have responded:

Thank you so much for your time. I have spoken to Richard Warren at College Ward Southward police (ED falls into 3 wards, College, Peckham Rye & East Dulwich) who has suggested the following:

Please report all thefts, whether petrol theft, registration plate theft, vehicle theft, vandalism, a break in or even suspicious behaviour.

We are in a catch-22 where the police are aware of an increase in crimes (particularly vehicle), but cannot act as so many are not properly reported. I am guilty of this as I know it won't achieve anything for that particular incident, however, we must all report each incident. The police said they have made 2 recent arrests, but this relates more to vehicle theft so we all need to keep going. There appears to be more than one team at work.

The police know where the root of the problem lies but cannot act without more evidence of crime.

If we all apply pressure by reporting every activity, we will soon get a response as the media & politicians will jump on the bandwagon and force plod to respond. Late, but better than never.

Please see the link below! Please, please report each of the crimes you told me about!

TJ

http://www.met.police.uk/reporting_crime/

[TJ]

I have been contacted by one of you about another theft last night - The police are beginning to take notice - please please report all the thefts!

I have also been in touch with the Southwark news to get them on board - they are contacting the police for a their side of the story, but we now need more & more pressure on them to act!

Hopefully, a few articles and a few more politicians getting involved will get the police involved fully!

[stuoneill]

I had my tom tom stolen from my car outside my house a few weeks ago, it's a pretty new car with alarm and it wasn't broken into, I think my son had been playing with my keys indoors and unlocked the car whilst someone was walking past. Nothing else was taken so I didn't bother to report it.

[TJ]

Please report it!! No reports, the police do nothing and it doesn't regster on their crime levels.

The more unsolved crimes, the more trouble they get, so the harder they work! Its a bobby carrot!

[sophiesofa]

Also never leave a sat nav in the car - even the window suction thing.

[Rockets]

In fact you should wipe the screen if you have used a suction cup as it leaves a tell-tale ring that you can see from the outside thus advertising the high probablility of a sat-nav being in the glove compartment. Also, never leave your home address on the sat nav - they nick the sat nav and then know if your car is not around you are probably not at home.

[Growlybear]

TJ Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have been contacted by one of you about another

> theft last night - The police are beginning to

> take notice - please please report all the

> thefts!

>

> I have also been in touch with the Southwark news

> to get them on board - they are contacting the

> police for a their side of the story, but we now

> need more & more pressure on them to act!

> Hopefully, a few articles and a few more

> politicians getting involved will get the police

> involved fully!

I appreciate how annoying crimes like this are - it's affected us three times in recent weeks - but what do you expect the Police to do? I really don't understand what the Police can do to stop this type of crime.

[sophiesofa]

They can see if there's some kind of pattern and try and identify/catch the criminals.

[TJ]

growly - please please report this - it takes 10 minutes max.

Sophie - that's what I've had to do for plod and now the stabbing time and politicks are involved they are getting interested.

I think a complaint to the regional commander helped too.

Please keep reporting anything.

Regading what can they do? They can increase patrols, they could come and fingerprint the vehicles to see if it is a resistered criminal, they could look at trends and consider staking out or CCTV etc etc.

[themaninblack]

Regarding fingerprintng and forensics-

After my car was victim to petrol theft again last night the police told me I could take it for a forensics test. Reasonable suggestion I thought. However, and I quote the policeman I spoke to, "It's not very good really. You have to go to him, he can't come to you. And it's only open Monday to Friday 8am to 10am".

What use is that at 11am on a Friday? Any evidence will have long gone by then, especially when the car has no petrol left and you have to fill it up just to get there, which would potentially wipe away prints etc. I find that really quite shoddy and pathetic.

Admittedly these are relatively small crimes and nobody is getting hurt, but I've felt like crap and mildly violated all day because of it.

Humph.

Edited to change times to both being "am"!!

[Growlybear]

I reported all three of the occasions that my husband's petrol was stolen, and felt that my reports were treated with courtesy and concern by the person who took the details. But crime of this type is very common in large cities, and I don't think it's practical for the Police to consider staking out several roads overnight on the off chance that someone might stop to steal ?20 of petrol from a car or bike, and where exactly would they instal CCTV? Outside my house where there have been three thefts? Outside the house of the person who's bike has been targeted several times? Or should they pick another address at random? It's incredibly annoying when it happens, and I agree that it might be worth taking finger prints, but quite honestly, I would rather think that the Police used their finite resources on attending to rather more serious crimes in the area than this.

[Huguenot]

removed for being too personal - The Administrator

[BQC]

Fierce Huguenot !

[Horsebox]

Fierce but just.

If a crime isn't reported and subsequently record then officially it didn't happen, the victim doesn't exist.

The only way of the police getting a true idea of crime in the area is by people reporting it. No point moaning on here about it if you're not willing/bothering to tell plod.

[BQC]

Oh believe me i've been moanin' (and reporting to the Police too). Who by-the-way closed the case 48 hours after i reported it happened without actually doing anything.

Still, it'll be lighter outside soon, so hopefully we can all keep an eye on the roads/driveways for these robbers. B)