Do You Know Anyone Who Has Been Mugged Recently?

[gerry]

Sorry for starting this, but I think its important to make a point about what actually happens in East Dulwich and how it gets dealt with by the local police. Positive comments very much appreciated.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I worry about statements like "worried about what's going on in ED" as if ED is somehow different to anywhere else and doesn't face the same concerns/limitations as other neighbourhoods

But given all that here's my story

Lived in the area - 7 years

Circle of acquantainces and friends who live in the area - about 50? Is that big or small - no idea.

# of known muggins or attempted muggins - Zero (this may change as several people read this and tell me about their story)

Both myself and my other half walk a fair bit home from the bus stop, at night, seperately and have done for 7 years - amount of threatening behaviour encounterd - again, zero

I'm not saying it doesn't happen - it clearly does - but I'm sure many people will happily wade in with horror stories so I;m balancing it up - all true too, without any exaggeration

I understand completely I could get mugged today - I live in a huge world city - it would be amazing of people didn't get mugged. I'm not saying I should accept that fate but I refuse to be cowed or live in fear.

[Doodles]

No. No one. I think its important that this doesn?t become an exercise in frightening ourselves.

[*Bob*]

Lived in The Smoke for ten years.

Total number of muggings experienced by me or my chums: 1 (a month ago in New Cross)

[falcao]

I agree. Muggings are an everyday occurance in London and any other major city. It doesn' make it acceptable and anyone who does get mugged has my sympathies.But Dulwich is not a rural area,and in spite of the fact that it has been populated by the middle classes over the last 10 years this only illustrates the fact that muggers will always turn their attention to where they may be able to get rich pickings with the least amount of resistance.

[Mark]

other than what I've read about on the forum, I know no-one directly who has been mugged in East Dulwich recently

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I, a female, have never been mugged in ED or elsewhere. However, I do know a 16 year old resident boy who has been mugged at least four times, the most recent occasion being on the number 12 bus last week by a group of lads. Each time he has reported it to the police with, to date, no resolution.

Interestingly he is tall, personable and in no way `victim-looking' so I don't know why he has been so unlucky.

[seanmlow]

Haven't been mugged yet, but have experience very threatening behaviour on ED Road (involving a knife).

I generally feel very safe in the area. However, I know several people who don't feel safe around the roads by the station.

[Ted Max]

What's a resident boy?

And no, I don't know anyone who has been mugged recenlty.

[BJL]

I've lived here for twenty years and apart from my teenagers having the odd run-in with other children after lunch money etc, I don't know anyone who's been mugged in East Dulwich.

[SeanMacGabhann]

when I was attacked several times (between the ages of 12-15) it was in rural Ireland and not London but I do often notice stories about some youngsters getting attacked repeatedly and it does take me back

I think it can happen for many and varied reasons - in my case I would never think of taking it to the police anyway. When we say mugged btw do we mean roughed-up a bit, had something valuable stolen or severely damaged? If it was the latter I would consider the police but if it was the former, when it happened to me I wouldn't think of going to the police. I just accepted school bullies as part of life.

[mockney piers]

London 13 years. Muggings 0 (please don't screw me over gods of jinx).

Mates?

Noone that I can think of in London. Plenty done abroad or elsewhere in UK.

A mate got mugged twice on his way back to the hotel in Barcelona, the second lot decided to take his shoes.

Huguenot took a nasty beating in Leamington. A chap I knew was murdered in Reading.

I think as long as you stay aware and take the usual precautions you lessen your chances, but it still boils down to fate/luck etc. can't say as I think ED is particularly bad though, it feels a darn sight safer than wandering around Stevenage.

ooh, no, a friend of mine stuck up for an Indian woman on a night bus that was taking some bad racist abuse from two drunk scottish 'gentlemen'. They turned on him and gave him a pretty bad kicking, the gouge marks down his face were really disturbing, they were properly going for it. But that was 10 years ago.

[timtim]

Lived here 5 years, and don't know anyone mugged

[KalamityKel]

I've known of burglaries in and around ED. West Dulwich can be a bit of a dodgy place at times (I don't really think I should go into too much detail on that one twas a long time ago an'all!). hmmm muggings... nope dunno personally of anything 'round 'ere

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Resident boy = clumsy way of saying he lives in ED.

In last incident, mobile 'phone stolen and he was beaten about the head. Noone intervened except the driver who locked the doors and called the police. He let them go when they threatened to cause mayhem on the bus.

[Doodles]

So, are we talking about the extreme end of school bullies?

Which isn?t to belittle it at all. It is totally unacceptable that anyone shouldn?t be able to go about their lives without fear.

But if that is what we are talking about then it suggests the solution may involve some sort of joint work between the police and schools, no?

[Damo]

Not me or anyone I know in the area (SE22)

[PeckhamRose]

Lived in the same flat in Peckham Rye 25 years this August. I'm female.

Never been mugged or had the flat broken into.

Know no-one who has been mugged but sometimes when walking across the

park get asked by a kid or two kids if they can walk with me so as to be protected from bullies.

Refuse to be ruled by fear but I do try and take responsibility

and walk confidently and be aware of surroundings and so on.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I'm expecting ???? to link us not being mugged to being PC liberal types....

[macroban]

No, not in the last six decades (or in the 21st Century).

[lordship_bod]

am happy to say that i know of no muggings either to family of friends that live in the area.

Mind you i do come home late sometimes on the 40 bus and have had to put on my "rude girl" face on so it looks like i can handle myself if someone started on me (and there have been quite a few weirdos and groups of teenagers). But touch wood so far so good

(p.s if you want to know what a rude girl face looks like imagine a vicky pollard face with attitude on a grown up (6))

[gerry]

Are there any young school age kids who read this forum? Maybe the muggings I hear about so often are confined to the under 21 crowd - coming home from school, on buses, walking home from a friend's house, football practice, the pub or even church???? Yes Doodles, the school and police should come together, or simply be out there protecting these young people instead of giving out fines for dropping cigar butts!!!

[Siduhe]

As recently discussed on another thread (the one about a group of kids on DKH, I think), young people are far, far more likely to suffer violent and other street crimes than adults. I mentored a group of teenagers at an inner city London school last year and the year before, and it appears to be a fact of life for many of them. They expect to get jacked for their phones, beaten up for looking at someone the wrong way, even for walking on the wrong side of the street.

However, I agree that it's probably always been that way although the severity of the crime may well have increased - ah, found the thread here.

For myself, 12 years in London, one mugging (in Canary Wharf at Christmas of all places). Not aware of any of my close friends having been mugged either.

[BJL]

gerry Wrote:

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> Are there any young school age kids who read this

> forum?

I'd be surprised - I think (hope) they've got better things to do...

gerry Wrote:

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> Yes Doodles, the school and police

> should come together, or simply be out there

> protecting these young people instead of giving

> out fines for dropping cigar butts!!!

According to the other thread, the fine was issued by Community Wardens - the police were not involved.

[Mark]

Now the police are giving out fines for dropping cigars are they? What is the world coming to? If only the police would set up a partnership scheme with schools so make pupils and teachers feel safer, perhaps they could call it the Safer Schools Partnership.