Kerb crawler logbooks issued to Ilford Lane residents as police try to combat prostitution

The logbooks were given to families by the south Redbridge police team to residents who see or hear prostitutes and kerb crawlers each night.

The logs are the latest strategy by police and Redbridge Council to try to combat the issue together with a special hotline for residents to report antisocial behaviour.

Police say six in 10 people caught kerb crawling around the Ilford Lane area are from the area.

Sgt Lee Wilkinson from the south Redbridge team said: “We are trying to dry up the market by targeting kerb crawlers. We have made lots of requests for information from the public for number plates.

“The first batch of logbooks will be collected back this week and we will find out what the drivers were doing in Ilford Lane at those times.”

He said other measures to try and stamp out the problem included applying to extend the dispersal zone up to Ilford train station, Cranbrook Road, Ilford.

The zone means police can move on groups of people behaving in an anti-social manner.

It will also extend 150 metres into the Clementswood ward side of Ilford Lane.

Police hope it will be in place by December.

Other tactics include uniformed patrols, gates, alleyway searches and road checks.

Mr Wilkinson also said that since the high profile stabbing outside Ilford station on October 17, more patrols had been put in place.

“There have been complaints from residents about the area around the station late at night,” he said. “The dispersal zone should have a positive impact around the station.”

One of the priorities for the police team is ensuring people’s houses are secured during the winter as it is during this period a spike occurs in burglary numbers.

Mr Wilkinson added: “Long nights make it especially easy to notice whether people are in or not so we encourage people to take suitable precautions all over the borough.”

Anyone with information about kerb crawlers should email police on loxford.SNT@met.police.uk.