Mugged on Garthorne Rd
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aimee_p
Posts: 15
Joined: Sep 2013
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31-07-2014 12:29 PM
So - I got mugged last night walking back from the station down Garthorne Rd (Sebastian Roche side) at about 11pm. Basically - four guys walked towards me, two split off and crossed the road, I thought nothing of it. Then one of the two jumped directly at me, putting his hands on my shoulders and pushing me to the ground. Luckily I fell on my handbag so he couldn't get it. He had me pinned to the ground by my arm, so I'm bruised there, and I have skinned both knees and my calves - I guess when I fell.
It was all over very quickly, perhaps because I was shouting No a lot, or perhaps because there was another man walking towards where it was all happening. I heard one of the guys say 'Did you get her phone', but I don't know who he was addressing. The man walking towards the incident, who then walked me home, said that the two who had crossed the road weren't with the guy who attacked me, but that he'd been asking them if he could buy some weed.
Anyway, he was about 5ft10, wearing a light grey hoody witht the hood up and a big picture on the front, light jeans, slight build, about 19/20yrs old. I think he was possibly on drugs, just from the scary eyes, but then when someone is leaping in to your face, their eyes are going to look pretty damn scary.
I don't want to scaremonger, I've always felt really safe in Honor Oak. But this happened to me, last night, and I just wanted to let people know.
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michael
Posts: 3,261
Joined: Mar 2005
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31-07-2014 12:36 PM
Sorry to hear about this and I hope you are not too shaken up by the incident.
Have you contacted the police on 101 to ensure they are aware of the incident?
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aimee_p
Posts: 15
Joined: Sep 2013
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31-07-2014 12:47 PM
Yep, they came round within about 40mins, took a full statement, drove me around in case the guys were still in the vicinity and took my clothes for forensics. They were really good - very impressed.
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Snazy
Posts: 1,516
Joined: Jan 2008
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31-07-2014 02:31 PM
Really sorry to hear about you experience, sounds very cowardly of the thieving little swines.
Glad you are not too badly roughed up, and hope it doesn't affect you long term in any way.
Always good to hear the police have acted swiftly and taken the matter very seriously, fingers crossed they can get something from the incident and get someone identified for it.
Wishing you well.
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hoona
Posts: 205
Joined: Mar 2011
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31-07-2014 05:04 PM
Horrible thing to happen to you. Hope you are okay and not too badly shaken
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robbrockley
Posts: 91
Joined: Jun 2013
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31-07-2014 06:26 PM
So sorry to hear this and I do hope you are okay and it doesn't put you off Honor Oak. Garthorne does often seem a bit dark at night but there are usually lots of people around. I walked along there myself last night but at about 10pm an funnily enough I felt a guy was following me - but he crossed the road and disappeared. I did notice a group of young guys handing around on the walls by the flats at the end went I went out about 5.30pm - looked they were smoking pot.
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Applespider
Posts: 285
Joined: Feb 2006
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31-07-2014 08:42 PM
Sorry to hear about that aimee and glad that you weren't badly hurt.
However, don't be surprised if you find yourself a little jumpy for a few months when you walk along familiar roads in the dark. I was mugged close to home a few years ago and for a good while afterwards, every footstep I heard behind me made me a little nervous. It will pass, promise!
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Tinkerbell
Posts: 361
Joined: Dec 2007
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31-07-2014 11:42 PM
Hi aimee_p,
Very sorry to hear that, and I too hope that it won't put you off the area.
I often walk along Garthorne around that time (not yesterday, but the day before), sometimes even later and have never felt unsafe. This may be little consolation for you right now, but let's hope it will remain an isolated incident. A police van just did the rounds here about an hour ago - probably a good idea that they're showing a presence for a while.
Funnily enough, I also noticed a few older youth hanging about by the flats at the end in the last few days, in the afternoon. They don't live there. Two days ago one of them went along the wall as if he was going to ring the bell at one of the doors, but just took a pee against the wall right there instead, then calmly walked back to the street and took a good look at a bike that was chained there at the entrance of Garthorne. Classy. They only left when one of the residents (adult) at the block of flat started staring at them rather angrily. I'm not saying these youth had anything to do with this, just an observation since robbrockley mentioned it.
All the Best, hope you can get over this!!
This post was last modified: 31-07-2014 11:43 PM by Tinkerbell.
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aimee_p
Posts: 15
Joined: Sep 2013
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01-08-2014 09:24 AM
Thanks all - I'm still mainly angry, but def more wobbly and nervous than I was....not moving though! The police said there was a second similar incident within an hour of mine so hope that person is ok. Appreciate all the kind words - reminds me why I love this little pocket of our crazy city :-)
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Southlonder
Posts: 119
Joined: Aug 2009
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01-08-2014 02:26 PM
that's my road, horrible
Unfortunately as the prices keep going up, more and more affluent people are moving into the area, so this only going to increase.
Hope you are ok
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jaradras
Posts: 45
Joined: Jan 2014
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01-08-2014 06:05 PM
aimee p sorry to hear about your ordeal hope you recover fast, best wishes.
Southlonder you make an interesting point with reference to affluent people moving into the area & expect an increase in these types of incidents. Had a discussion with some friends along these lines yesterday going past the restaurants in Honor Oak at around 9.30pm - the restaurants were packed & some overflowing onto the pavement with young to middle aged affluent people spending their hard earned cash and enjoying themselves & it is good to see that, it is good for our national & local economy, however, these individuals will be seen as targets by criminals & also there are social implications with any form of change.
There are studies that show in some areas there is an increase in crime especially personal robbery with commercial and residential gentrification & other areas where there is a fall in crime levels. Studies show that where there are falls in crime in upcoming affluent areas it is largely due to the affluent people having greater political influence and can therefore request a heightened police presence.
Residential gentrification can also result in the area losing single rooms/bed sits etc & an increase in rents (which has happened in SE23) -some of these young or older people may get displaced & move to other nearby affordable areas & return to their old areas to commit crimes and anti social behaviour, this has been documented in studies.
Moving forward not sure if there will ever be a link in SE23 between rising affluence and crime, I hope not. However, in my opinion the Police & the Council should look at having crime prevention policies addressing the increasing levels of affluence & gentrification in some areas within Lewisham. Hope someone is keeping an eye on the areas crime statistics to identify any trends & implement prevention & crime enforcement strategies as required.
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lulu
Posts: 6
Joined: Oct 2012
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05-08-2014 02:19 PM
Hi there,
Sorry just wanted to check where the mugging took place. Was this towards the end of Garthorne Road or near the station (bottom of Gabriel Street)? Sorry to hear it happened. I have often walked up the road at 11.30-12 at night and have felt pretty safe. Are community police officers going to start doing the rounds? Who do you contact to set something up?
Thanks
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aimee_p
Posts: 15
Joined: Sep 2013
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06-08-2014 07:31 AM
It was actually Grierson Rd before you hit Garthorne - near the tree in the middle of the pavement on the right as you come from the station. Sorry for the mix up in original post I was still shaken. Got it right with the police, which is fairly key :-)
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