Perhaps scoped out for mugging by cycling teenagers?

[DJKillaQueen]

Yes ASBOs are being phased out but there will still be an ASB unit within Southwark with the power to seek injuctions against and evict (council tenants) anyone who needs to be dealt with. The ASB unit works closely with the probation services and Police too.

There have always been street robbers, the methods they use and what they target may change, but one thing remains the same in that they will always seek what they consider easy targets - so the phone they can snatch from someones ear, the bag they can snatch from someones shoulder or hand, and so on. When I was a youngster it was elderly people having their pensions snatched as they left the post office (common before banking deposits) or the purse at the top of a handbag, and so on.

Imo there's no reason to feel any more afraid today than yesterday, or to be more or less complacent in looking after our posessions. I would echo others though in reporting any incidents of being suspiciously followed....or if you see someone (as I did) behaving obviously suspiciously. And it doesn't matter if you are wrong. An innocent person has little to worry about.

[northlondoner]

Please inform police. It may not lead to anything but that's not the point. They need to be aware that this has happened.

[muffins78]

I think you should tell the police too, no-one should invade your space, either physically or mentally, and those boys were not up to any good. Its not right that we don't feel safe walking around where we live. I feel the same, in that, walking around I am on high alert and I'd just like to relax and not be worried about where I am going in an area which is meant to be home.

Also reporting your story to the police, helps them build a picture, include the call in statistics etc., to demonstrate that the public do need them - and hopefully help them against the cuts they face.

Im glad you got home okay

[nununoolio]

> ...Is the 'new' Burgess Park dodgy then? Was going

> to pop along to the playground with the kids this

> weekend.

OK for most of the day but there is a distinct change of atmosphere in the late afternoon/early evening. The playground is fantastic and I will be taking my kids there soon.

[katanita]

Sounds like we had similar encounters with the same two kids, though I was also cycling at the time, up Crystal Palace Road. I've seen one of them once since around here. They were very definitely behaving oddly, cycling one in front and ne behind me, with some nonsense about a chain coming off and then appearing to follow me home. When I got back home I watched them circle round the block and then pull up and scarper, possibly when they realised I was watching them.

I'm not really sure what they could have done in broad daylight on a fairly busy road, when I was on my bike, and it was all rather transparent and inept. I wondered if they were attempting some rather pathetic intimidation, or playing a silly game, I didn't get a particularly menacing vibe from them. But I couldn't be sure, of course. I'll keep an eye out, and obviously worth being alert whenever you notice people behaving oddly, especially in pairs, but a caution about jumping to the conclusion that they are necessarily about to commit violence.

[Sellena]

Just noticed this thread, was walking down/up Lordship Lane yesterday and saw police questioning 3 boys-2 had bikes. For the warm weather they were pretty dressed up ( coats, hoods etc). One police man was also 'undercover'. Was reassuring to see that cos only last month in Nerro did a hysterical young lady come in petrified because she was just mugged. Hopefully there are more police walking the streets.

[natty01295]

I had my bike stolen rock rider black

AND a Hybrid black matt framed bicycle

A frame blue and white bike

wheels 2 26in - upland raod

[dad_jokes]

Oh no.

I'm just moving from Islington to Honor Oak and am sad to hear this - but then again this stuff can happen anywhere.

I currently live in a gentrified neighbourhood, very peaceful and lovely. I was walking down my road and two boys crawled alongside me on a moped and just took my iPhone from my hand and drove off. One even looked back and smiled!

I simply concentrated on the number plate and then ran home and called the police. I then logged on to icloud.com and was surprised to see that the robbers hadnt turned the phone off and so I could see on a map where they were heading. The police turned up in 10 mins and were impressed to see that i had pinpointed them to a nearby estate. They went there and recovered a stolen bike by the same number plate but sadly the boys would have been in the estate somewhere.

a few weeks later i got a call saying that they had found the guy because of finger prints on the bike and that it was down to my quick work. I went to the station to give a statement and i'm now embarrassed to say that i decided NOT to press charges after it was suggested to me that I would have to go to court and face these muppets - and that they would know my full name. In this day and age, your full name can be too useful to people who want to take revenge - no hiding place online!

I will be keeping my wits about me from now on and it seems that will be no different when i come from Islington to Honor Oak Park :(

[Nero]

'I thought it a bit odd that they were cycling on the pavement.' ?! It seems normal behaviour for lots of cyclists, not just the criminally intent ones.

To get back on topic, though, I would recommend telling the police. It is possible they were being threatening just for kicks and were not doing a dry run for a future attack, but given what you have told us, I doubt that.

[ianc]

dad_jokes Wrote:

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> I'm just moving from Islington to Honor Oak and am

> sad to hear this - but then again this stuff can

> happen anywhere.

It can indeed happen anywhere, I'm afraid to say. After starting this thread, some weeks ago now, a few friends from outside London suggested I move to a safer area. I've actually taken the opposite approach, and I'm determined to make myself (and others) feel safe in THIS area; the one we've chosen to live in.

Since seeing the lads on bikes, I've not seen them again. Nor others. But it definitely reminded me that even a gentle wander to the shops needs to take place with your wits about you, and your valuables hidden.

I've been in London since coming here in 1990 for university, and (fingers crossed) not actually been mugged in all of those 22 years. I'm not going to move to the countryside over this :-)

[Chillaxed]

My sympathies to all who have posted that they have been mugged or intimidated. I'd add that how someone reacts in these situations is entirely down to the individual and there is no right or wrong reaction. I don?t think anyone can predict with any certainty how they would react.

But I?d like to think that I?d tell these f***ers where to go and put up some sort of fight. I think they are trading on the (mis?)conception that all yoof are packing knives or guns and importantly are prepared to use them. I think most would p*ss themselves and run away if you stood up to them. I accept I may be dreaming, but in my dreams I take these guys on or someone helps me take these guys on or I help someone else take them on. We, good, honest people, outnumber these f***kers 1000 to 1 and it sticks in my craw that they exert such an influence on our lives.

[bonacara]

I just got mugged by a hoodie on a bmx yesterday afternoon. He grabbed my bag, which was next to me on the bench we were sitting on with my lo, and was off with it in a second! The police reaction was very prompt and they thoroughly searched the area but found nothing so far. ( by the way this happened in se1 , where i work, not here in se22)

From now on, i will hang onto my bag, its just sad that we have to live with the thought that we may be mugged any minute, a feeling i know very well from south africa where i lived for 6 years. I would also report any suspicious bahaviour, it may help the police catch the buggers that do these crimes. Stay safe.

[EDOliver]

A definate target for muggers is mobile phones especially iPhones and Blackberry's as they have a high sell on value. Increasingly Police are tracing iPhones in real time and arresting those carrying them by using the "find my phone" feature which means that within seconds of logging onto any computer the iphones location can be traced. It's a brilliant bit of technology and very simple to set up.

Go settings>iCloud>findmyphone>on

Would also recommend backing up numbers, photos etc and getting mobile phone insurance (through household insurance seems cheapest) so that if the phone is nicked then it's not the end of the world.

[theron]

Chillaxed Wrote:

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

> I think

> most would p*ss themselves and run away if you

> stood up to them. I accept I may be dreaming, but

> in my dreams I take these guys on or someone helps

> me take these guys on

Last Easter (2011) I was approached by a hooded man on a bike who was trying to start up a casual conversation. Due to my clear lack of interest in the conversation, he started to become increasing aggressive with the way he was acting, grabbing the food that i was eating out of my hand and then throwing the remains of it over me (!). I then, not so nicely asked him what the !?*<?$ he thought he was doing, and he grabbed my phone and my bag from my hands and tried to cycle off! As I held onto his bike as a matter of protest for the best of the following five minutes, punching me full pelt 4 times in the face, with the final punch loosening his grip on my belongings which fell to the floor and he cycled off! I remember while I was holding on to his bike and screaming insanities at him, I saw a resident in the house that looked over us calmly look to see what was going on and shut his curtains!

I tried! I got a bust eyebrow and a horrific black eye, but hey, I got my phone and my bag and all of my belongings back! (and may I point out I was only 15 at the time and an innocent teenage girl!)

[ianc]

I'm all for standing up to them, but I guess the precise factors governing who has the upper hand in such a situation can be complex and hard to judge quickly. Age, physical build, how quick-thinking each of you is, whether either of you can run, how willing to resort to violence, etc, etc. Then there's the perceived risk that the attacker is carrying some sort of weapon, which they might only reveal when things get difficult.

[The Minkey]

I was in the Dulwich Garden Centre late this afternoon. As I stood in the queue for the till, I noticed a lad turn up on a bike wheeling around outside. He caught my interest because he was dressed for cold weather with his hood pulled up and gloves.. I was watching him thinking how boiling he must be when a lad on foot joined him. His top was unzipped, hood down, pretty normal looking. They were in and out of view for a few minutes, gone by the time I finished up. Something or nothing, who knows, but it was a very curious outfit for such a hot day.

Bloody hell, Theron, nasty price to pay for sticking up for yourself. I'm amazed you held on after the first punch let alone another three. Your balls are bigger than mine...

[CasualLime]

The Minkey Wrote:

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

> Your balls are bigger than mine...

I can vouch for this.