Det Ch Supt Sue Williams

Burglaries up in two Woodford wards despite police operations

Alistair Kleebauer, Senior reporter Thursday, July 5, 2012
12:00 PM

Only one ward in the Woodford Green area has seen a reduction both in residential burglaries and the total number of crimes since last year, figures show.

Redbridge Police’s burglary team has “focused” on the area and burglary is a priority of the safer neighbourhood teams (SNTs) in the Bridge, Church End, Monkhams and Roding wards.

But Met Police figures show home burglaries went up by 18 per cent and 7.1 per cent in the Monkhams and Church End wards respectively in the first five months of this year compared with last.

In Roding, there was no change in the number of burglaries while in Bridge ward, there was a 15.8 per cent fall and a 9.6 per cent reduction in total crimes.

But on Tuesday, Cllr Paul Canal, a Conservative councillor for Bridge ward, said: “I’m concerned about the rate of burglary, the rate of detention and the rate of detection.”

Borough commander Det Ch Supt Sue Williams defended the police’s record on burglaries in the area at a public meeting in South Woodford earlier this year.

The total number of crimes dropped by 1.29 per cent in Church End, remained static in Monkhams and increased by 12.9 per cent in Roding.

Det Insp Neil Lemon said a “considerable amount” of policing has gone into Woodford wards to tackle residential burglaries.

He said a north east area tasking team and a territorial support group have been deployed in the area.

Cllr Robin Turbefield, a Conservative councillor for Bridge ward, said: “Levels do fluctuate but at the moment we have worked hard in that area. If you look at crime in the borough as a whole, there’s more often an issue with people being concerned with crime than actually the crimes happening.

“Most levels [of crime] are quite low compared with other areas. In Bridge [ward] we have a very good SNT.”

Crime overall has fallen in Redbridge in the past six months.

Bridge ward Residential burglaries - Jan to May 2011 - 63 / Jan to May 2012 - 53 Total crimes - Jan to May 2011 - 345 / Jan to May 2012 - 312

Church End ward Residential burglaries - Jan to May 2011 - 42 / Jan to May 2012 - 45 Total crimes - Jan to May 2011 - 389 / Jan to May 2012 - 384

Monkhams ward Residential burglaries - Jan to May 2011 - 33 / Jan to May 2012 - 39 Total crimes - Jan to May 2011 - 236 / Jan to May 2012 - 236

Roding ward Residential burglaries - Jan to May 2011 - 71 / Jan to May 2012 - 71 Total crimes - Jan to May 2011 - 334 / Jan to May 2012 - 377