Concerned residents attend crime meeting after spate of muggings in Crystal Palace (From Streatham Guardian)

Concerned residents attend crime meeting after spate of muggings in Crystal Palace

11:00am Thursday 24th January 2013 in News

Concerned Crystal Palace residents attended a special ‘crime watch’ meeting last week, organised following a spate of muggings in the area.

The meeting on January 16 was hosted by the Crystal Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce at the Phoenix Community Centre on Westow Street.

After noticing a pattern of similar offences in particular area, residents and traders were able to question PC Michael Shrivell of the Crystal Palace Triangle Safer Neighbourhoods team, about crime in the area and express concerns about the effect police cuts will have on safety.

Councillors from each of the five boroughs bordering Crystal Palace were also in attendance, including Councillors Pat Ryan, Wayne Lawlor and Jane Avis from Croydon, and were urged to work together to tackle concerns raised.

Robert Gibson, board member of the Crystal Palace Chamber of Commerce said: “The Chamber was very pleased to facilitate a very productive community meeting where a number of serious issues including closure of police stations, scarcity of police manpower and community safety matters were all discussed.

“It is now clear the local community must lobby hard during the current consultation exercise on policing to ensure Crystal Palace does not become a black hole, void of adequate policing because it sits on the edge of five boroughs which are all enduring savage cuts in police resources.”