RE: Robbed (between the supermarket and Dog Kennel Hill)

[Pirate78]

Hey beautiful people,

Just to warn you, I was walking home from a shop at Sainsburys on Wednesday night and took the usual short cut through the park in between the supermarket and Dog Kennel Hill (school boy error) and was beaten and mugged ny a group of lads. They only got away with my mobile (and I got a battered face), didnt realise how dark that park is, no lighting, nobody else around...easy target I guess.

Anyhoo, the reason I'm posting this is just to say please please please keep your street smarts!! Hopefully won't happen again.

[sophiesofa]

Poor you and I hope you have a speedy recovery. I think lighting in that park has been mentioned before - possibly on James Barbers thread but I'll ask him if he has an update or anything. It's such a tempting short cut when you're carrying lots of bags!

[Brendan]

Bummer man. Hope you recover quickly.

I cut through that park at night all the time.

[acaena]

sorry to hear about that it just goes to show some places just not to go at night maybe ligtting is an issue here chin up hope you recover quickly regards eric

[SteveT]

Can you describe any of them?

[Jeremy]

Really sorry to hear that, hope you have a speedy recovery, and it doesn't knock your confidence too much.

I'm surprised that park isn't locked up after dark. Have you reported it to the police?

[Pirate78]

I rang the police straight away. They were really good actually, there in a couple of minutes and drove me around looking for them.

I could'nt really discribe the attackers, they were a group of lads in there late teens, all black and wearing dark clothes.

Hopefully the council will get some lights installed, or make sure the park is locked before dark.

[Loz]

They'd just started locking the park after dark - have they stopped again?

The park is part of Sainsbury's territory, apparently.

[Ladymuck]

I am truly sorry...that's an AWFUL thing to have happen to you. However, and I don't mean to sound unsympathetic here, but do I presume you are male? The reason I ask is that no sane female would use that shortcut after dark...why is it then that men feel that they can? I tell my hubby off for this very thing...he doesn't listen of course, stating the usual macho stuff about being able to handle himself yada yada.

Please guys...don't do it...if there's a group of lads...you've little chance of getting away unhurt and with all your belongings.

OK, lecture over...now that it's happened please look after yourself a little better and recover quickly. And my apologies if you happen to be female...though the same advice would apply of course.

[Sue]

Loz Wrote:

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> They'd just started locking the park after dark -

> have they stopped again?

>

>

xxxxxxxx

There's a notice on the gate saying it will be locked at dusk, but I have never known it to be. I've raised this on the forum before. Either it should be locked or it should be lit at night.

Really sorry to hear about this incident, but unfortunately not surprised, amazed it hasn't happened more often.

Maybe now some action will be taken to lock the park - how hard can that be? Five minutes of somebody's time to lock two gates, they're hardly miles apart.

[omniprescient]

I sympathise with you over this but I find the tone of the remainder of this thread quite appalling. It seems people are prepared to put the blame for this occurence on the shoulders of parties barely connected with it (rather than upon the inadequates who perpetrated it). There also seems to be a resignation that this sort of thing is enivitable and that there is nothing that can be done to stop it. As long as this defeatist attitude prevails then parts of our cities will continue to descend into no go areas.

[londonloves]

Pirate 78-What a terrible thing to happen-I hope you recover well, and thanks for putting this on the forum so we all know to keep our wits about us.

omniprescient-I agree entirely the blame goes on the men who mugged Pirate 78-mugging and beating someone is the crime, lack of lighting just made it slightly easier for them to commit the crime

[CupsCushions]

O dear I use this Route all the time I'm sorry to hear this happened to you x

[kenty26]

I was driving by when I heard the shouting. I'm afraid I only caught a glimpse of one of the cowards disappearing back into the park as you made it to the street. Well done for getting away!

[Ladymuck]

omniprescient Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I find the

> tone of the remainder of this thread quite

> appalling. It seems people are prepared to put

> the blame for this occurence on the shoulders of

> parties barely connected with it (rather than upon

> the inadequates who perpetrated it).

I'm sorry if my post appeared that way. Of course the people to blame are the lads who committed this dreadful crime.

There also

> seems to be a resignation that this sort of thing

> is enivitable and that there is nothing that can

> be done to stop it. As long as this defeatist

> attitude prevails then parts of our cities will

> continue to descend into no go areas.

You are absolutely right...and as a result of this "resignation" I merely wished to make the point that even if you are a fit male who is well able to handle himself, that taking that shortcut after dark might prove to be an unwise move. But there's the real tragedy. We shouldn't be resigned...nor should we be indirectly dictated to by the behaviour of a minority, but many of us are (myself included). This is, regrettably, a very sad sign of our times (more resignation...oh dear).

So, I apologise if you found my post appalling, or otherwise offensive...it wasn't meant to be.

[Moos]

Hi Pirate - really sorry to hear you got mugged, hope you aren't too shaken up and will be back to swashbuckling and terrorising the high seas before long.

[ianr]

Pirate78, many thanks for the warning, and glad you got out of it fairly intact. If it's not too stressful, can you give any more details, like the time it took place, your location in the park when it happened, where they approached from and for how long they were visible before anything happened, whether they were after anything more than your mobile, whether you were carrying any bags, and whether they tried talking to you first or went straight to the violence.

I too habitually, though infrequently, go through the park at night going to and from Sainsburys. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd feel safer walking round the road way.

[Weegee]

Hi Pirate78

Im very sorry to hear about what happened. Often ive come back from work in the evening and thought about cutting through the park to Sainsburys,...but have decided to go the long way round.

Yes we need more lighting but also maybe more police/ special constable patrolling round that area....there have also been problems round the alleyway behind Dulwich Hamlet Football ground with gangs.

[Sue]

omniprescient Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I sympathise with you over this but I find the

> tone of the remainder of this thread quite

> appalling. It seems people are prepared to put

> the blame for this occurence on the shoulders of

> parties barely connected with it (rather than upon

> the inadequates who perpetrated it).

xxxxx

Isn't that like saying if you get shot in the States it's purely the fault of the person who shot you, rather than the fault of the lenient gun laws which allowed all and sundry to carry guns in the first place?

Surely nobody is saying here that the perpetrators of the crime are not to blame. They are pointing out that if the gates had been locked as they are supposed to be (hardly "parties barely connected with it"!!), or if there was better lighting, the crime may well not have happened as it did.

What's wrong with that?

[sophiesofa]

I've just emailed sainsburys to ask what they will do to improve the saftey of their park. I'll let you know the response.

[Ladymuck]

sophiesofa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've just emailed sainsburys to ask what they will

> do to improve the saftey of their park. I'll let

> you know the response.

Blimey...why didn't I think of that!?

Glad you are back in full swing SS (you've been rather quiet of late).;-)

[citizenED]

Just to add my sympathies, Pirate. Hoorible thing to happen.

[thexwinglessxbird]

Pirate, how awful!! You poor thing.

For years I have cut through this park, mainly at night & can't help but always point out about the COMPLETE lack of lighting. We really must complain about this. It wouldn't hurt the environment to have a couple of solar energy lights down this path. It's rediculous that it hasn't already been thought up or done. It screams danger.

[Sue]

Last night all three gates of the park were firmly chained up.

[Ladymuck]

Sue Wrote:

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> Last night all three gates of the park were firmly

> chained up.

Yes, and they forgot to unchain one set of them by 1.00pm today!