Nasty kids in Peckham Park

[MCK100]

It happened again tonight. This time a group of kids ( I hate saying that, because it makes them sound less intimidating than they are), threatened to throw a water bomb at me. When I dared them, they started lobbing them. Then they started saying they were going to kill my dog and one of them jumped over the fence of the Japanese Garden and took a running kick at my dog, who got out of the way. He jumped back over the fence, then came back, came within a meter of me and threw a water bomb really hard at me. 

I can't be sure it was exactly the same crowd as last time, though I suspect the male ring leader could be. 

The police came and were amazing - as was the park warden - and are fairly confident of the identity of one of them and think they may have tried to arrest him before. 

There were maybe as many as 15 of them, aged 16-18, all Caucasian, girls and boys (girls being just as aggressive as the boys). The ring leader is a slight man, dark hair / eyes, possibly with facial hair about 5'6", petite, wearing an all-blue tracksuit. 

So please be careful when you're in the park around 6.30 / 7pm. The local SNT have been informed. 

[first mate]

Completely unacceptable. They need to fund a proper, permanent park warden presence or this sort of behaviour will get worse. Parks should be safe for all to enjoy and being assaulted and threatened by teenage gangs may put more vulnerable people off using the park altogether. If they are prepared to threaten to hurt an animal then where might it lead?

This does not sound like kids just being silly; lobbing water bombs at each other is one thing, but targeting complete strangers out for a walk and minding their own business and trying to kick their dog is, in my view, no laughing matter. A group of 15 teenagers can be intimidating, not to everyone but for some it can be, especially if their behaviour is aggressive.

 

Edited Thursday at 18:11 by first mate

[dresswaves]

The toilets at this spot in the park have been vandalised to such an extent that they are now closed.

[MCK100]

3 hours ago, first mate said:

 They need to fund a proper, permanent park warden presence or this sort of behaviour will get worse. 

 

 

@first mate I assume Alice made a mistake, as she removed her reaction. 

I was wondering about park wardens. As I said, there was one there last night, who was incredibly helpful and proactive. As well as bringing me to the police, he caught up with a young guy on a bike who'd earlier been the victim of an attempted theft by these kids and linked him up with the police too. But I do wonder, as I've only very occasionally seen him riding around, how many they have and what hours they patrol. I've no doubt they'd be a strong deterrent if they had a better presence. They were nowhere to be seen the first time around. 

Update: I've just found this: https://services.southwark.gov.uk/community-safety/community-wardens

The guy in the photo at the bottom of the page was the lovely warden of last night and I've just now remembered him telling me he's based in Burgess Park. Anyway, there needs to be more of them, as I rarely see one in Peckham. 

 

 

[Sue]

1 hour ago, MCK100 said:

@first mate I assume Alice made a mistake, as she removed her reaction. 

I was wondering about park wardens. As I said, there was one there last night, who was incredibly helpful and proactive. As well as bringing me to the police, he caught up with a young guy on a bike who'd earlier been the victim of an attempted theft by these kids and linked him up with the police too. But I do wonder, as I've only very occasionally seen him riding around, how many they have and what hours they patrol. I've no doubt they'd be a strong deterrent if they had a better presence. They were nowhere to be seen the first time around. 

Update: I've just found this: https://services.southwark.gov.uk/community-safety/community-wardens

The guy in the photo at the bottom of the page was the lovely warden of last night and I've just now remembered him telling me he's based in Burgess Park. Anyway, there needs to be more of them, as I rarely see one in Peckham. 

 

 

They used to have dedicated park wardens, who I'm sure used to look after the parks and locked and opened the gates.

Years ago I knew someone who was one.

I thought they were based in that hut by the toilets.

Are they not there any more?

The community wardens are attached to the police rather than a specific park, aren't they?

Edited Thursday at 17:50 by Sue

[first mate]

There will always be kids pushing the envelope as the saying goes, but having some boundaries should help most understand what they can and cannot do. I think dedicated, daily park wardens is exactly what is required...with a hotline to SNT teams on the beat.

Is there no way money made from Gala or from Park parking fees can be diverted to provide that funding? I feel it would be a really good use of money. The principle aim being to maintain the park as a safe and relaxing environment for all.

If funding really cannot be found I wonder if there might be funding to at least train volunteer park wardens?

Edited Thursday at 18:05 by first mate

[alice]

I took back my 🤣 because I think the idea is unworkable expensive and would produce little result.  There seems to be people in the office next to the toilet but I don’t think they leave the office. I’m not sure what they do there.  The toilets have been in a disgusting state for months and months with many promises to repair they are not functional and they invite vandalism. I shall  try to add a couple of photos. The council doesn’t care why should we?

[first mate]

I agree, the people in the park office seem to be invisible. Quite why we need a park office I am not sure. Perhaps it is to do with all the maintenance and upkeep for which there will be organisation and admin.

It may be expensive but I do think funding some sort of regular park safety oversight should be a priority. Southwark to want young people to use the park, as do we all, but there probably does need to be some sort of supervision for everyone's sake.

 

[MCK100]

https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area/met/southwark/peckham-rye/on-the-team/top-reported-crimes-in-this-area

If you look at the stats, clearly the police and SNTs have their work cut out. There is a massive spike in crime in that area in May - almost double previous months. 

 

Edited Thursday at 19:42 by MCK100
change words

[Sue]

1 hour ago, MCK100 said:

https://www.met.police.uk/area/your-area/met/southwark/peckham-rye/on-the-team/top-reported-crimes-in-this-area

If you look at the stats, clearly the police and SNTs have their work cut out. There is a massive spike in crime in that area in May - almost double previous months. 

 

Did May coincide with school holidays?

[alice]

Another dramatic spike the previous May 24 -  both crimes around the car park -  could this be related to the massively increased numbers of people around Gala time?

[Dulwichway]

Still, I guess it could be a lot worse than water being thrown at you by these numpty youths during these warmer times? thankfully it wasn't the more dangerous mugging type youths that crossed your path waving knifes and guns in your face!  just a thought? hopefully these muppets will get sorted by plod soon, but don't hold your breath. 

[MCK100]

@Dulwichway Absolutely - I'm in no way trying to say that what happened was life-changing. I've encountered way worse situations and think of myself as pretty tough, which is why I took them on and got pelted. I suppose I'm just taken aback because the park always seemed so safe. But the stats I've just posted contradict that.  

I suppose the one of the points of this thread is to point out that they weren't just numpty youths - I'd bet money on some of them being involved in more serious criminality. And to tell others to be vigilant. 

[Dulwichway]

19 minutes ago, MCK100 said:

@Dulwichway Absolutely - I'm in no way trying to say that what happened was life-changing. I've encountered way worse situations and think of myself as pretty tough, which is why I took them on and got pelted. I suppose I'm just taken aback because the park always seemed so safe. But the stats I've just posted contradict that.  

I suppose the one of the points of this thread is to point out that they weren't just numpty youths - I'd bet money on some of them being involved in more serious criminality. And to tell others to be vigilant. 

I guess it's best to do what most Brits do these days, keep your head down and say nothing! although that's probably why this country is in the mess it is today!  😞

[first mate]

Also, just to add, the threat to kill someone's dog and try to kick it, is an additional extremely unpleasant layer. I have noticed a lot of the burst water balloons lying around in the park too- that is not great for the environment either.

[Angelina]

It might help if there are body cams to record evidence and a presence maybe a deterrent but I very much doubt a park warden would intervene with obnoxious and violent thugs - children or not.

We need police for that.

 

[NewWave]

As a slight woman in my mid 60's who's an avid walker I find these reports really upsettting and to be honest they put me off the idea of walking around the area for relaxation and pleasure like I used to.

Most disturbing is the report of them threatening to kill someones dog and trying to kick it-

I'm streetwise having been born and brought up in Notting Hill long before it was gentrified, and I lived in NYC for awhile in the 80's but there was'nt this senseless nastiness attacking and intimidating people for 'sport' that there seems to be now.

Not long ago I had two females on a 185 bus just pushing me and cussing me for no reason whatsover-I confronted them about it and they carried on and started threatening to kill me...I honestly have no idea why.

probably Just trying to intimidate me..another passenger advised me to get off because he could see they were jabbing me in the side and pushing me around-I did get off and realised I was actually really shaken up and scared they'd followed me.

I dont know why there is so much anger and hatred in the world it saddens me.

Edited Friday at 20:33 by NewWave

[MCK100]

@NewWave I know how you feel. Like you, I've lived and spent prolonged periods of time in some pretty crazy places and always thought I could handle a bunch of kids. But, no - they got to me and I was shaking like a leaf afterwards. That's what age does to us. 

But I did engage with them, so bear that in mind. 

My advice would be to never let anything like that stop you doing the things you love. I'm certainly not going to stop using the park, there's no way they get to take away our cherished spaces! 

If you see them, just change tack and keep out of their way. My dog won't even go that way again, so that's that problem solved. (If I see them again, I'm going to keep taking photos from a safe distance). 

[first mate]

I do not know how old you are, but if you are clearly an older person ( please forgive if not the case) I think what these kids did is even more despicable. It seems clear this is not just misguided hijinks.