Crime in Balham, Wandsworth

As part of the Neighbourhood Guarantee and Summer Crime Plan, the team have been completing targeted plain clothed and high visibility patrols late afternoon and early evening in the vicinity of Wandsworth Common, Wandsworth Common Station, Trinity Road and Garratt Lane in order to address robberies of school age children. Officers engage with groups of youths, discuss crime prevention and ways of keeping safe, progress investigations of offences identified and liaise / promote good work within the local community through Ward Panel Meetings, community engagement events and street briefings. Officers will utilise stop and search powers where appropriate and work closely with the DWO – CYP (Dedicated Ward Officer – Child and Young Person) in order to deliver safety talks to school children.

Dedicated Ward Officers will promote awareness of home security and provide High Visibility patrols in identified Burglary Hotspot areas within residential roads and especially in the vicinity of Trinity Road, Garratt Lane and the Aboyne Estate. Officers will promote crime prevention through engagement events, home reassurance visits, social media, street briefings and public meetings. Officers will continuously review all reports of burglary and highlight any patterns of offending and adjust their patrols and events accordingly to correspond with locations.

Dedicated Ward Officers will carry out regular patrols in roads between Burntwood Lane and Magdalen Road in order to address theft of high-end motor vehicles. Officers will identify insecure vehicles and offer crime prevention opportunities during their patrols. Officers will conduct street briefings in the areas targeted by offenders and aim to visit repeat victims of vehicle crime. Ward officers will continuously monitor crime trends in regard to motor vehicle crime and adjust their patrols accordingly to match where offences are being reported.