Forum Topic

School child muggings

There have been an alarming number of serious threats to school children returning from school lately, including my son. There’s a lot going on in daylight in Putney high street demanding cash, phones and then when they get the phone they ask for their Apple passwords. Knives are threatened or in our particular case ‘I’m gonna f... you up’ This is only going to get worse if it goes unchecked. Please be vigilant and make sure, without causing undue worry, your child has a plan.

Adrian Bell ● 2594d10 Comments

How awful, Adrian. I am sorry and shocked to hear about your son's experience. Have the police been alerted? Who are these thugs? Other schoolchildren or older?

Jane Carter ● 2594d

Thanks for the warning.  This is stressful for everyone. Putney isn't the only area where this is happening unfortunately and it has always happened to some extent. In the past children didn't have such valuable items.  We used to only provide them with something no-one else wanted like an old Nokia to make mugging less attractive.  Lectures from both parents and teachers not to walk out of school and immediately take your phone out...  and the danger of notices warning of pickpockets which encourages everyone to check their wallet/phone is still there telling the watching pickpockets.

Philippa Bond ● 2593d

In our case they were 15 or so years old. All cases I have heard of have been reported. The police response this week was that as they couldn’t be seen on cctv, they could not take it further.

Adrian Bell ● 2593d

How very frightening and horrifying!Will keep my eyes open along PHS during school leaving hours!

Ivonne Holliday ● 2593d

Adrian, thanks very much for letting us know. This is a real shame and I have to say surprised.I know a lot of anti social behaviour later on in evening I’ve witnessed but this is very upsetting and can’t go on! I genuinely think there should be some form of security at the train station given volume of commuters. A lot of other stations have thisThere has also been an uplift in anti social behaviour in the Exchange shopping centre from kids, so we all need to keep reporting this.We will get back control of our streets sooner rather than later.

Nick Gulliford ● 2593d

Thirty years ago my son and his friends were subject to muggings,threats and phone snatches on their way to and from going from Putney to their schools in Hammersmith. Then it was considered a them against us in school uniforms.

Hugh Thompson ● 2592d

Many schools (like my sons) don't allow for mobiles or other expensive items to be taken to school. Even their lunch money is on secure prepaid cards. Removing the temptation might mean that some of the children don't start down the bully/mugger path. or maybe I'm over hopeful.

Mark Derry ● 2591d

I remember children being told to cover their blazers so as not to invite muggings nearly 30 years ago.The situation is not helped by the inequality between rich and poor that we have in the UK which is very high compared to other developed countries.https://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/scale-economic-inequality-uk

Philippa Bond ● 2591d

There is now a petition on the Wandsworth Council web site, canvassing for extra vigilance from the authorities:https://democracy.wandsworth.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=131&RPID=9813059&$LO$=1

Adrian Bell ● 2582d

Yes - and in King George's park on Wednesday - one group of schoolchildren ( all in black ) took a phone from a boy in a group of 3 - dressed in maroon. Interestingly they didn't call the police as we suggested but went back to their school to report it - maybe the headteachers should engage ?

Lynne McNulty ● 2581d