EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS Five months of roadwork misery for Wimbledon Police attack linked to notorious gang Robbers target Woolworths store AFC WIMBLEDON Wimbledon wildcard is Evans sent CRYSTAL PALACE NEWS Goldberg demands respect for Jordan COMPETITIONS Win tickets to BBC Proms in the Park Win with Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging ON THIS DAY On This Day... BIZARRE LONDON HOUNSLOW: Bin man boogie is internet hit BUCKS: Sticky encounter for crocked croaker VOTE Who's been Palace's best chairman? Ron Noades Mark Goldberg Simon Jordan GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Robbers target Woolworths store 2 Police attack linked to notorious gang 3 Five months of roadwork misery for Wimbledon 4 Bees form forces Scott re-think 5 Croydon MP back from battling depression 6 Kingston man charged with assaulting Richmond cop 7 Johnson lays down law to England U18s 8 Braithwaite signing softens Quarm's Beavers blow 9 Chocolatier planning knife crime sculpture 10 Police say Croydon getting safer despite 'litter attack' Today | 7 Days 1 Police attacked in rubbish row 2 Police say Croydon getting safer despite 'litter attack' 3 Adult service ads banned 4 Officer attacked by mob says he feared for his life 5 Drug dealers caged for 27 years 6 85 OAP villagers to be evicted 7 Katie Price fans turn out in Croydon 8 Man jailed for killing dad-to-be 9 Police attack linked to notorious gang 10 Men fined for stealing over £1,000 from parking meters

A high street cinema has asked police to step up patrols around their site "to try and stop somebody being killed".

Various measures have already been introduced at Streatham's Odeon Cinema to beef-up security in an attempt to make the complex much safer for users.

Employing security guards who use night goggles to detect people trying to make pirate recordings as well as taking part in anti-social behaviour, are practices already in use at the cinema.

But the Odeon's general manager, Kene Mkparu, feels more can still be done to increase safety on the site for customers, especially during peak times.

Mr Mkparu said: "We tend to have a lot of families who come to the cinema to enjoy the films, but then also lots of groups of young kids who may come here to entertain themselves by doing things like throwing popcorn at people. When some people try and stop them, that is when it could get out of hand.

"So to try and stop somebody being killed before we deal with these sorts of problems, we're trying to do all we can in terms of security at the cinema.

"We are looking to implement a system where police attend the site as part of their patrols, so we are now in discussions to see how they can increase their presence in the high street and in the cinema."

Mr Mkparu added the cinema would benefit from the extra patrols, particularly during busy periods like school holidays.

He said the cinema is plagued by the same problems suffered by many cinemas, including people trying to sneak in without paying for tickets and irritatingly answering mobile phones during screenings.

But he added: "It becomes a real problem when people step in and they refuse to stop."

Mr Mkparu also hoped keeping records of incidents at the cinema would help officers find out when trouble-spots are most likely to occur.

He said: "We keep all the records of incidents here which the police can look at and detect a pattern.

"They can stretch their staff around those periods or particular days, for instance Wednesdays when it is cheaper."

akajumba@london.newsquest.co.uk What do you think? Have you had a bad experience at the Odeon? Write to the address on Page 2 or email bmcloughlin@london.newsquest.co.uk

4:09pm Wednesday 18th January 2006

Print

Email this