Hello,
This post has been brought to our attention and we would like to address some of the comments made here.
We are more than aware of the moped crime issue on the borough, and it is something which is affecting many boroughs across London at this time. As you may be aware, there are restrictions in place which mean that only a small number of specialist police drivers are able to pursue mopeds. This is a policy we are obliged to obey, and it is not something which local officers can change or ignore.
The Metropolitan Police are currently running a prevention campaign called Be Safe (#SecureYourScooter), aiming to raise awareness of the theft of scooters and their subsequent use in crime. We are urging vigilance from both vehicle owners and other members of the public, and asking that scooter owners tighten up their security measures in order to make their bikes a more difficult target to steal. You can read more about this campaign here:
http://news.met.police.uk/news/mets-be- ... ers-248027
We also highly recommend that you pay attention to your surroundings when using your phone in public. The offenders who drive by and snatch phones do this ‘professionally’, for want of a better word. If they see someone with their phone out who is not paying attention to their surroundings, they view them as an easy target, and the phone as an easy way of making money. Do not afford them the opportunity. You can find our crime prevention advice on this matter here:
https://www.met.police.uk/crime-prevent ... nd-mopeds/
The number of neighbourhood officers we have available to patrol is limited depending on officer availability. One specific ward will not always be on duty to patrol, and when they are on duty they may have other prior engagements or investigations to follow up. With the current climate and recent horrific events in London, a lot of officers on Wandsworth Borough have been deployed elsewhere in London during their shifts, such as at the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire, or to conduct reassurance patrols in the aftermath of the London Bridge, Westminster and Finsbury Park terror attacks. When there are officers available they are tasked to patrol specific areas across the borough which are experiencing a high volume of crime.
We are investigating this type of crime specifically through a dedicated team on Wandsworth Borough. They investigate all offences of this nature, and are doing all they can to identify offenders and bring forward successful cases against them.
If you have seen anyone suspicious in the local area then we ask that you call us and tell us so we can send units to the area to try and speak to them. You can call 101, DM @MetCC on Twitter or report via our website:
https://beta.met.police.uk/
In the situation described above, please call 999.
You can also use the same link to our website to see which crimes are most prevalent in your area. By typing your postcode or road name into the search box, you can find your ward and look at the top reported crimes, and the crime rate comparison within the borough and across the rest of London. For example, the top three crimes in Northcote ward in Battersea are currently Shoplifting, Miscellaneous Theft and Assault Without Injury:
https://beta.met.police.uk/your-area/wa ... b=Overview
You can also use this page to voice your own concerns in your area. These are collated by the local ward officers, and are sent forward to be discussed at the next ward panel meeting. The concerns voiced using this feature on our website directly informs the ward priorities and how they are set, so we would strongly encourage that you make the use of this resource.
The issue of cyclists being stopped on Wandsworth Common falls within the jurisdiction of the Parks Police. They are employed by Wandsworth Council and are a completely separate body from us. You can find more information about them here:
http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/20007 ... ce_service
Using the Find My iPhone tracking device is a highly unreliable means of tracing stolen property. This is because the location services rarely isolate the phone to a single address, and may suggest a block of flats or several houses in a row. We do not have the authority to enter any of these premises to search for the device, just because the app has indicated that it might be there.
The app is most effective when we know that the device is moving, and when we have some kind of description of the suspect in order to help us track and identify them. Without that our powers are severely limited as to what we can and can’t do.
At this time Wandsworth is still the safest inner London borough, and we are doing all we can to ensure that it remains an area where people are happy to live and work.