jimmy two times

I'm assuming his initial chat up line wasn't too lame as you described him as seeimng charming. Sounds like he could open well enough but had difficulties closing the deal.

You try not to look like a victim by looking confident. Walk tall and not slouched, keep your head up and don't look at the ground, avoid looking at potential threats in the eye but equally don't look away too quickly and don't look down at the floor either when they look at you, as this is a submissive gesture.It's not always guaranteed to be enough but it's more likely that any potential aggressors will think twice if they think you are not a soft target.

The same as above, but obviously forget the running away bit.

Here is my advice for all teenagers who live in East Dulwich, and Surrey too.

1. If it's possible, avoid carrying valuables such as mobile phones, jewellery, MP3 players and cash as these are obvious targets for muggers.

2. If you are going to carry these things around with you then try not to make it obvious. Be careful about where you take your phone out to make calls. Try to cover Jewellery. Put cash, if it's notes, down your sock. Don't listen to your MP3 player after dark as you will be vulnerable and will not be able to hear anyone coming from behind.

3. If you see a group of lads approaching you or loitering simply cross the road or take a diversion.

4. If you can't do this then try to look confident as you approach them. Don't look them in the eye, but don't look down at the ground either. Be aware and try not to look like a victim.

5. If you are approached by them and asked to hand over your goods then do so, without resistance. Any of these items can be replaced. You life can't.

6. If, after handing over your goods, they persist in threatening and intimidating you look to escape if you can. If there is a way of running away then take this option.

7. If you are corenered and you cannot run away then look to see if there is anyone who can help and call them. At all times keep your eyes on your assailants. DO NOT let them enter your personal space. Keep your hands up in front of you just above waist height with your hands open. This can look like a pacifying gesture. But it also acts as a barrier between you and your assailant. Try to talk to them calmly. Appeal to their better nature. If this fails and they start to encroach into your personal space then push them hard and shout at the top of your voice. This can stun them and give you a small window of opportunity to escape.

8. If you cannot escape and you have absolutely no alternative then the only option remaining is to defend yourself. If you are going to do this you really need to be clear on one thing. Hit hard, be brutal and do ANYTHING you need to do to get away. Again, this response is likely to stun the group which will buy you time to escape but under no circumstances stop to admire your work or try to take them all on. Your primary objective is escape.

I realize some of the above points I have made may be unpalletable to many law abiding citizens but unfortunately these actions can be the difference between escaping and being badly injured or worse. Some of these gangs of lads are like Hyenas preying on the weak and there is a group mentality at work. I hope that all the parents who have objected to the points I have previously raised will pass on this advice to their teenage children.

I think any teenager who lives in inner London should acquire a certain amount of street savvy. That kind of street savvy will come from direct experience. It's not taught at school or by parents who may never have acquired it themselves. As tough a situation as this was for the boy who got his phone nicked, the fact remains that he walked away unscathed and will learn from the experience.

Predictably,considering my moniker, I'll go for the opening to Goodfellas: Ray Liotta 'For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a gangster' followed by Tony Bennet's 'Rag to Riches'. I think Joe Pesci's psychotic Tommy DiSimone was the template for many 'hardmen' in films afterwards including Kingsley's. I don't think I had ever seen anyone that genuinely scary in a film before. Nearest thing to that was Paul Betthany in Gangster no 1, which was a very underrated film.

The Police have scaled down the use of yellow incident boards due to the fact that they created anxieties in the community and the perception that crime was on the rise. I see postings such as this in the same way. And yes, I have kids,and they are teenagers.

Read my post again and you may come to the sensible conclusion that I have simply made a point regarding what I perceive to be scaremongering on this discussion forum. It is an opinion sir, not a 'beef'.

Z yours is an articulate post, but I think you may also predictably be falling into another sad type : Those who have preconceptions about people who post messages on discussion forums.

It may also serve to cause unnecessary anxiety to readers and subsequently their offspring. These things happen and no violence was involved.

I'm sorry to hear about your son and I'm glad he's ok and not injured. However, I do not see the point of you posting this up. You state that the Police are dealing with it, that there was a witness and that the school has been informed. What are you hoping to achieve by putting this post up?

I've heard a place called Hossegor in Southwest France is good for teenagers. Anyone been there?

Any tips on somehwere cheapish and cheerful to take a couple of older teenagers for a holiday in mid august?

I'm not sure what is the point of these types of threads? The Police are dealing with it and if they require witnesses then fair enough. Otherwise it just seems like scaremongering that is guaranteed to feed the perception that crime in the area is spiralling out of control. Isn't that the job of local newspapers?

They've found a new cure for it. Oinkment.

They used to coo at me until I started bringing DVDs back late.

I guess I should be silent. Shame on me for trying to start a witchhunt against Librarians.

Maybe it's their way of admonishing me as I always seem to be bringing DVDs back late?

Why do the staff at Dulwich Library never smile?

I agree about Jags. They definitely oversubscribe as there are new faces there all the time and they're always showing people around. The car park is a nightmare at times, and they have launched an initiative to encourage members to cycle to the gym. I don't think this is for environmental reasons but simply to alleviate the car park problems. A more simple way of solving this problem would be to go back to the old system of actually having the entrance gates shut and only able to be opened by a member swiping membership card. Most of the problems with the car park are caused by non members using the football pitches and parents who bring kids to swimming galas. Also, I wonder how secure the facilities are if the gates are open permanently? Some of the staff at the reception don't appear to check if you are a member when you enter. One girl in particular doesn't even look up from the computer screen when anyone walks in. The men's showers are very poor as at least two of them have the shower head missing. The lockers are poor as many seem to be damaged. The sprinkler system on entering the pool doesn't work and hasn't for ages. These may sound like minor inconviniences but collectively they damage the experience of using the facilities and it also makes you wonder what Jags are doing with all the money they must be making with new memberships and guest fees.

Bigbadwolf's postman.

East Dulwich is like a jungle and sometimes I wonder how I keep from going under.

The Police response to crime is proportionate. You have stated 3 incidents which you have reported. Whilst each deserves thorough investigation unfortunately Police manpower issues mean that some crimes will be higher priority. I don't understand some of the other points you have made such as the one about stabvests? It sounds like that gripe is on behalf of the Police.

The Police response to crime is proportionate. You have stated 3 incidents which you have reported. Whilst each deserves thorough investigation unfortunately Police manpower issues mean that some crimes will be higher priority. I don't understand some of the other points you have made such as the one about stabvests? It sounds like that gripe is on behalf of the Police.

Big Phil whilst I have sympathy to your predicament on that day, I still think in this country people have a right to protest even if this causes a minor inconvinience to the general public. If the results of the protest are to the benefit of the silent majority then the protestors should be applauded.