Burglaries: Gardens area a hotspot, especially Acol/Priory/Greencroft

The Public Meeting of the Swiss Cottage Safer Neighbourhood Team took place last Tuesday the 24th. Cllr Roger Freeman was there.

Once again the focus was on burglaries.A hotspot map shows that the Gardens area is one of the worst in Camden for burglaries; within the Gardens area, the worst areas are Acol Road/Wavel mews; the Priory end of Greencroft and Greencroft between Fairhazel and Finchley Road.

The Police have been and are concentrating resources into this area and this subject regularly comes up in these meetings.The most common time for burglaries is between 8 and 11am. Very few burglaries happen at night.
In some ways the Gardens area is a perfect area for burglaries.There are many houses in multiple occupation, where it is often easy to gain access through the front communal door; there are many houses with a rapid turnover of people who have little incentive to invest in security and who do not know their neighbours and also many young professionals who are out for much of the day. The situation is worse in those houses who share communal gardens, given that anyone who can gain access to the gardens finds it easier to enter houses by the back. Basements especially those with secluded entrances are another issue.

The Police are taking a twin track solution; target hardening ie encouraging residents to improve their security and information sharing. An email burglary alert system is being set up,alerting residents to where burglaries are happening, modus operandi being used and new security tips.

To sign up give your details to SwissCottage.SNT@met.police.uk.
On a more positive note, good to see continued decline in vehicle crime and robbery/snatches and perhaps most important the Swiss Cottage team is fully up to strength under the continued lead of Sgt Parry.