Streetlife

Thanks for understanding. I'll try to keep on posting about stuff like this as so often our press fail us. You'll usually find "lenient" sentences are given for good reasons which a newspaper article conveniently "forgets" to publish - or more likely has never bothered to find out because we don't bother with court reporters any more.

Of course, the media are never impartial but leniency is often portrayed and I guess that is difficult to swallow. I do sometimes think that harsher sentences would be preferable but....a much debated point....as always, very emotive subject!

I have copied and pasted the email sent to residents from the local police. It does mention theft of window boxes. Sorry about yours

n.p.

Dear Residents
It is time again for an update on police matters on the ward for the past month. There is a mixture of mainly good but also some bad news to report but all in all crime levels across the ward are at low levels.
Residential Burglary has increased over the past month and this follows a trend of higher than average offences over the past few months.  Some good news is that a prolific burglar operating on our ward was arrested last week. When his house was searched he recovered property from a burglary that he committed overnight. He has since admitted several others that were committed on both Sands End and Parsons Green Wards. This isn't to say that burglaries will stop because of this as there are other people also committing them. The method of entry of the recent burglaries has mainly been through sash windows without stop bolts and also letterbox's that don't have a guard/cowl fitted. Most of these offences have occurred overnight so please make sure that your home is secure.
Robbery and thefts of phone are at very low levels across the ward, which strangely is in stark contrast to Parsons Green Ward where offences continue. However it is good to know what is happening nearby. These offences are always committed by a suspect who cycles up behind the victim who is on the phone, usually an expensive Iphone or similar. He will then grab it out of their hand and cycle off, with the victim not even seeing their face. Most offences are being committed around the New Kings Road and Kings Road so please be aware of who is around you especially when using a mobile phone.
Theft from Motor vehicles are still fairly high and our most prevalent crime, usually with one offence every other day, the same figures as Parsons Green Ward. Please leave nothing in your car and ensure that it's locked. Thieves trawl the streets every night looking for unlocked cars and vehicles with valuables on view. Valuables include loose change, Sat Nav's and  clothing, but they will steal anything of value that they can easily carry.
We have had reports of pushy door to door sellers, often selling good out of a basket late into the evening. We have stopped a few of these and moved them on but the easiest way to avoid any confrontation is to not open the door. If you aren't expected a visitor, especially when it's getting dark, don't open your door unless you can check who it is either through a spy hole or a window where you can check discreetly. The goods that they sell are usually of very poor quality and it isn't unheard of that they will buy the goods from a Pound Shop and then sell them to you for £5. Don't give them the chance.
We have also seen a few cases of thefts of plant pots from the front of peoples houses. It is hard to combat but if you have expensive plants or pots please try to chain them to something or move them out of site. Frustrating and tricky I know but hopefully these offences will stop soon.
Don't forget to register your ‘phones and I-pads etc. for free on the national database www.immobilise.com <http://www.immobilise.com> . Use this website for household goods too. If you have an I-Phone/I-Pad please go to www.me.com <http://www.me.com> and register for free on ‘locate my I-Phone. Download the App 'Find My Iphone'.
Finally a couple of dates to note.
This Sunday 6th May 2012 between 1100hrs - 1300hrs we will be holding a bike marking event on Eel Brook Common, adjacent to Casa Carlo Café. We will mark your bicycle and also answer any questions that you may have.
On Monday 21st May 2012 we will be holding a ward drop in surgery at Starbucks Café, Wandsworth Bridge Road 1500hrs -1600hrs where you can meet the team and raise any problems that you may be encountering.
Regards
Sergeant Pete Nicholson PS39FH
Parsons Green and Walham and Sands End Wards
Safer Neighbourhood Team
Fulham Police Station
Parsons Green -  0208 246 2993(Not 24 hours)
Sands End -  0208 246 2823(Not 24 hours)
Non emergency number Dial 101
Peter.Nicholson1@Met.Police.UK <mailto:Peter.nicholson1@met.police.uk>

Andres H - for those of us who don't follow local news - if you hear what this person gets in the way of a legal slap - can you let us know please.

n.p

Wow! What an amazing local force you have! I shall contact ours and ask why we don't get an email update; seeing as they already have mine.

How did this come about?

whatever the slap, i hope this person will be discouraged from stealing plants from our area.  anyone knows where he would be selling these plants or does he have a spectacular garden of his own from our contributions?  someone thought perhaps he would selling them on at sunday street markets.

@Vivian B - well I will post if I see anything but i'm afraid that is pretty unlikely as I don't get the local paper - and anyway it does very little court reporting.

I know it is getting way off-topic but there is a real problem here. We all seem to assume the problem is solved when the Police arrest someone. Somehow there has to be a way developed of communicating what happens in the courts back to the local population.

I applaud the post above copied from a local Safer Neighbourhood Police team - seems to me to be exactly the right direction and I will be raising this issue at the next meeting of SNT Ward Chairs in Wandsworth.

At the moment our SNT in Tooting consists of two police officers. They are doing a wonderful job all things considered but can't be every where. I get an e-mail updating local crime

Can we put the subject of plants and window boxes to bed and start a new topic as its boring reading just like the weather we can do very little about it so lets move on and leave the research to the police....... thats what we pay our taxes for .......... I sympathise with your loss but would sooner read fresh news........ !!!

Brian I have no idea why you think it's appropriate to pop up on a regular basis telling people that their conversations are boring and asking them to talk about something different.

If you want to talk about something else, start a conversation about it!

Brian, not sure why you are even participating on Streetlife.. where is "Littleton Common"? On another thread you say that you are "residual (sic) Heathrow area (Staines, Ashford Middx)".

Makes me curious why you are joining in on conversations in Wandsworth borough??

 

Hi Littleton Common, is in the area of Ashford Common, why should that stop me commenting on your site ie Wandsworth being as I used live and work in that area does that give me room for comment as for a new thread what about cruellty to children, animals, abuse towards old folk in nursing  homes, abuse towards teenagers as the present case in court at the moment, is that enough to be a starting point how about the Grand National and the tragedy befalling those poor horses, they did not seek to be driven into the ground.......... you wanted subjects .......!!!  Thats me popping up again !!

No Brian, you wanted subjects.  Now that you've made yourself a list, start a conversation about one of them!

We're all happy talking about the growing phenomenon of plant theft in the Wandsworth area and hearing how the police are trying to tackle it.

Brian, if you find you have lost interest in a subject on which you had earlier participated yourself - you have the option of pressing 'stop following' when a new comment on the subject goes into your in box. 

I cannot believe you have been chewing over the same subject, for nearly 2 months yes why not leave the subject with the police, talking about it on streetlife does not solve the mystery, but if you want a subject object to the Grand National for cruellty to horses, and start a petition and send it to the race course in question, surely thats going to be worth the print........!!!  Thats me popping up again.

I personally find Brian a bit of a bully. He wants to dictate what we talk about.

 Well Brian, I and obviously a lot of others, are not bored on the stolen plants thread, although I must admit the subject has probably run it's course, unless there are further incidences.

Take advice from Dengyl and stop following or do as Matthew G suggests and begin a thread, but don't tell us what to comment on.

Brian, streetlife is a social network specifically created to enable local people to talk about local topics.

We all live in Wandsworth, which is why we're interested in talking about crime in Wandsworth and how the Wandsworth police are trying to tackle it.

You are neither local nor do you wish to talk about anything local - the last time I checked the Grand National was not run in South West London.

Please go away.

I was the one who restarted the thread because there was a story in the Sunday Telegraph 6 May about the stolen plants in Claphan and the police had caught someone.  I thought the report in a national newspaper was worth adding to the thread.  I had a plant stolen last year and when I reported it, the officer took down the information but said that there was very little that would be done unless it became an epidemic which it has and the police did their job.  Well done to them.  I won't bother saying anything about Brian P since everyone else has.

There was something in the online Wandsworth Guardian to the effect that the police have recovered bay trees and are looking for the owners. The man is under arrest. Quote below

 

25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the theft of bay trees.

The trees were stolen from homes around Clapham Common West Side and Broxash Road, Battersea, on April 27.

The man has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Police are currently holding some of the trees which nobody has yet come forward to claim.

Anyone with information should call the police on 020 8247 8414.

Last year, a lady put a card through my door, saying how my window box of geraniums made her feel so happy every day when she walked to the bus-stop for work.

So, please don't give up on sharing the joy of flowers with everyone. Just make your boxes immovable, like mine.

I was just telling one of my builders about this and he said that he was recently working on a place in Belgravia that had 2 massive old urns on the front porch filled with trees and plants that would have weighed a tonne. One got nicked one night - they must have used some kind of machine to lift it. So even if you've got really heavy pots they will still take them if they really want to.

It's such a pain in the bum! I've got 2 big pots out front that I haven't chained or screwed down but they are already all planted up. So if I secure them I've going to have to pull everything out and start again. I'd like to wire mine up so that anyone who tries to lift them gets an electric shock. I wonder if it's illegal?Probably, but we can all fantasise... 

John T thank you for posting the article !  I for one found it interesting !

As for Brian P's posts... really ?!!!

Just thought I would also let you know that someone sent me this link with an update from the police. Looks like nobody has come in to claim the plants they found in this guys van / back yard and therefore they won't be able to convict him.  But I have been really impressed with the police's response to a relatively small crime. 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/wandsworthpolice

 

perhaps life in Littleton Common is so dull that Brian needs to get his kicks from coming on here and critisising our discussions.

I couldn't open the facebook link because I'm not on facebook, but the wandsworth guardian reported that the owners of some of the plants found in his van were located. They were left with about 7 plants that were not claimed. Therefore surely they have enough to convict him since he was caught red-handed and some owners have identified the plants as theirs?

I for one have been very interested in this thread. As I have been a victim of the same crime, I was especially keen given that there were so many people interested enough to make comments and help each other. Isn't this what we all need and want?! 

I cannot understand Brian's rudeness and I echo everyone's comments to say simply: Don't follow the conversation then!

It seems logical not to.

I can only hope that our Borough ends up as busy as yours where everyone is looking out for and helping neighbours; near and far!

The more we talk about such things, the more everyone is aware of what is going on and therefore hopefully it will eventually have an even more positive impact.

I am going to contact our SNT and see about an info leaflet.

I am impressed! Well done everyone!

Glad you enjoyed the article BDB and that most posters are reasonable adults.  It seems that bay trees are the primary targets since they are expensive.  My viburnum burkwoodii looked somewhat like a bay.  A woman who lived nearby had CCTV footage of two men going into her front garden at about 2 am and walking off with her bay tree.  I still have 15-20 pots in my front garden of various sizes and different plantings and no bay trees.  Theft is not going to deter me from enjoying my garden.