Police Act After Spate of Robberies on Wandsworth School Children
Patrols increased and specialist team on the case
Watch out for robbers when you are on your mobile phone
October 22, 2019
In response to a spate of robberies in the borough of Wandsworth in which school children were the victims, a joint statement has been issued by Wandsworth Police and Wandsworth Council outlining action to be taken.
Most of the robberies have been committed against children of secondary school age and have often involved technology items such as smartphones and ‘airpods’ which are in-ear headphones made by Apple.
The statement reads, “Wandsworth Police and Wandsworth Council are aware of several recent robberies in Wandsworth, where the victims have been children of secondary school age.
“We share the concern of parents and community regarding these crimes and are taking them very seriously. A proactive police robbery team are on the case, and are working hard behind the scenes to identify these offenders. Police have increased patrols by Safer Schools and Safer Neighbourhoods officers in the areas affected, and the council is working closely with the police and local schools involved to monitor the situation, give safety advice and encourage parents to report any incidents to the police.”
They then urge people to keep themselves safe by following a number of simple steps including paying attention to your surroundings, sticking to busy areas and with your friends and avoiding shortcuts such as parks, especially late at night. The also advise to be particularly careful when using headphones and mobile phones and keeping airpods and mobile phones out of sight: these are the items that are most commonly stolen.
The statement continues, “If you are challenged, remember that you are more important than your belongings.
“If you are a victim of robbery, please report it to police on 999 as soon as possible. Details to provide include your location, a description of suspects and their direction of travel. This will maximise police chances of tracing the suspects, recovering property and providing support as soon possible after the incident.”
If you would rather not speak to the police, you can also contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or their dedicated service for young people at Fearless.org. Both are independent from police, and you can give information anonymously.
You can find further personal safety advice on the Met’s web site.