Crystal Palace Rd - Robberies / Warning

[crystalpalaceroad]

Over the last year Crystal Palace Road has been the target of a series of break-ins. Residents are now linking the robberies to one culprit who has been arrested a number of times.

The man is 6ft tall. Thin as a rake. Hollow cheek bones. Heavy Scottish accent. Shaven head. He rides a bicycle and often wears a leather jacket.

This is a warning to the local community to protect your side gate access and ground floor windows/access points as this criminal, though arrested numerous times, still resides in the area.

Cllr James Barber and Cllr Ian Wingfield are aware of this matter, as are the local police.

[KidKruger]

have you got a photo / link to a photo ?

[crystalpalaceroad]

No.

[BecsBex]

Do you know whether the person described is thought to be linked to the spate of burglaries on Barry Road? It was suggested that the Barry Rd burglaries were all linked to one suspect (or one small group).

[crystalpalaceroad]

I don't, but the man in question does work with a small team.

I've been told they sometimes operate from the hostle on the corner of Crystal Palace Road / East Dulwich Road.

Watching people leave for work, breaking into homes later on in the day.

The hostle isn't managed.

I understand there is another hostle/half way house on North Cross as it approaches Barry Road.

I have seen needles on the floor a few times and reported it to the police.

[crystalpalaceroad]

Have you spoke to the East Dulwich Safe neighbourhood Team - 020 8721 2447 - http://content.met.police.uk/Team/Southwark/EastDulwich

Or local councillor James Barber...

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 07900 227366

[BecsBex]

Thanks for that info. I know the hostel you mean at the top of North Cross. My Mum once made the mistake of knocking on the door as she was looking for last minute accommodation for a friend of hers! She saw the 'East Dulwich Hotel' sign out the front so just assumed it was... well, a hotel. Needless to say, they were not interested in providing a room for the night for her friend!

My flat was broken into last summer and since then I've been especially interested in posts regarding burglaries locally. I was in touch with the police and James Barber at the time but there was nothing anyone could do in the end as the culprit/s wore gloves and there were no witnesses or CCTV.

Very depressing that Crystal Palace residents and police are both aware of the culprit yet he/his group are still walking the streets. Hooray for justice, eh!

[crystalpalaceroad]

Only last month the same man broke into an elderly man's home. They went to arrest him only to find he was sub letting his flat to someone else. The same man then tried to stab a neighbour for reporting the burglary.

Councillor James Barber is aware of this, but after an initial i'll do all I can to help conversation, residents have heard no more.

[James Barber]

That's because I've asked the Police to intervene. Complicated by the homes being thE Peckham Rye ward side of Crystal Palace road. So I've asked East Dulwich police SNT to talk and agree a plan with the PKR police SNT as undoutedly criminals can cross the road.

I've referred the vulnerable adult issues to social services for them to investigate.

And I've contact the Housing association asking they investigate the alledged sub letting.

[ElmGrove]

Crimewatch programme?

[jimbo1964]

A few months ago, I saw a guy fitting this description taking a very keen interest in a building site at the corner of Friern Road and Upland (on a Saturday morning). He saw me watching him and he pedaled off.

[Huggers]

doesn't this guy sound like the same one who robbed the forumite at traffic lights a couple of weeks back?

[jimbo1964]

Possibly. He rides on the pavement too. The man's a crime wave.

[Chick Pea]

What exactly have the police done to date? Sounds like they caught him red handed, have plenty of evidence that connects him with a multitude of break ins and ASB yet no action is taken. Have Southwark referred this to the Community Safety Partnership team? If not then maybe James Barber is best placed to submit an urgent request for action.

The hostel has a responsibility to be a good neighbour as well as ensure the occupants are receiving the right care and support. That's why the owners of the hostels receive generous payments per vulnerable adult. It's a growing, lucrative industry and the more vulnerable the adult the greater the contribution by the tax payer to the hostel owner.

[ratty]

Very generous? Chick Pea, I'm afraid you have little idea what you are talking about. I worked for the organisation that used to run this "hostel" (actually it's part of a wider supported housing scheme and not a hostel). It was such a lucrative industry that they had to make all their experienced staff redundant, slash the wages of others (I took a 25 percent pay cut to keep in employment) and they still ended up losing the contract to another provider, primarily on price.

In the past, I haven helped people to solve problems that emanated from this scheme. Sadly I am not in a position to do so any more.

[Chick Pea]

I was referring to the owners of the properties not the organisations running them, sorry if that came across otherwise.

It would appear that there are some less than philanthropic individuals in the hostel business. Run down properties, usually ex local authority or HA, are snapped up at auction for next to nothing and turned as many units, as can be legally crammed in. Minimum is done to improve the properties before they are let to agencies providing care for vulnerable people paid for by the tax payer. It gets tricky when the rent charge to the agencies impedes upon the cost of care provision. Whole system needs overhauling if you ask me.

[unlurked]

My sympathies to all victims. What are the police, local councillors and MP for the area doing about this? It's a travesty that law abiding people have to sit and wait to be picked off in this way like so many gazelle. Why don't the local journos that read EDF pick this up? Maybe the victims should take this to the media themselves and force the police and council to act.

[voltore]

So, is this guy actually known to commit 'robberies' (muggings, violence etc) as it sounds like it's all burglary.

Not nitpicking, it makes a difference.

Appreciate the warning.

[Supernanny*]

Is the hostel your talking about the "east Dulwich bed and breakfast" very shady men operate there, vans and often out 2am driving up and down.

[crystalpalaceroad]

Thank you all for your comments. Over two thousand people have viewed this thread, your support is so very welcome! It's been tough but it's important share what's happening with the community. I didn't realise the robberies were happening all over East Dulwich until now.

My emails and calls to follow up this matter have been ignored for the last two weeks. The only reply I received from Councillor James Barber, if you can call it that, was a comment on this thread...

"That's because I've asked the Police to intervene. Complicated by the homes being thE Peckham Rye ward side of Crystal Palace road. So I've asked East Dulwich police SNT to talk and agree a plan with the PKR police SNT as undoutedly criminals can cross the road."

While residents are broken into, neighbours threatened at knifepoint and one old lady too scared to leave her home due to this criminal the councillor deems it appropriate to make light of a situation, commenting that "undoubtedly criminals can cross the road."

Thanks for your help on this issue James. Especially after finding out, on this forum, that the robberies are widespread through East Dulwich.

If forum members would like to contact your councillor about the burglaries in East Dulwich and force action James Barbers details are...

- Southwark Liberal Democrats / T: 07903 964130 / E: [email protected]

[mynamehere]

I think your pressure should also be placed on the police. And if they're thinly spread then the pressure should go above their heads. Whatever the fault of the official on the ground, the problem rests with the bureaucrat making the rules. Watching "Burgled" (leeds seems to be another Burglary hot spot) there seems to be pro active policing we're lacking. Last night Motorway Cops was also set in Leeds. There was mention of how joy riders breaking traffic laws turned up burglars. Crimes go together. Maybe there should be more proaction on speeding cars on Barry Road and elsewhere.

[NickT]

While this is clearly a concern for us all, James Barber is not Batman, he can only operate through the channels available to him like the Police and Social Services and it seems he is has done that.

We need an East Dulwich Kickass, any volunteers?

;-)

[crystalpalaceroad]

Thanks for your advice mynamehere. Peckham and East Dulwich safe neighbourhood police teams were contacted by e-mail, voicemails were left. Neither got back in touch.

Nick, I'm sure you would feel differently if you lived in the road the crimes were taking place on.

[unlurked]

NickT Wrote:

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

> While this is clearly a concern for us all, James

> Barber is not Batman, he can only operate through

> the channels available to him like the Police and

> Social Services and it seems he is has done that.

>

> We need an East Dulwich Kickass, any volunteers?

>

> ;-)

Well it seems james barber can make schools, crossings n tout for supermarkets and cineamas of his choice so why not actully help people in need?

[BecsBex]

crystalpalaceroad - Oh yes, it's been a massive problem!!

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,774656,page=1

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1072342,1072532#msg-1072532

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1039209,1040301#msg-1040301

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1027822,1028112#msg-1028112

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1004995,1017954#msg-1017954

Local police really need to make it a priority to target burglary offenders. I saw the program about burglary in Leeds, such a shame we can't have a department like that here. I assume it's not deemed important enough - that is, important enough to dedicate any money to chasing burglars when there are cuts taking place and more crime to tackle in South London in general. Compared to Leeds. I assume. Sigh.