The pedestrian crossing outside of Christ Church Erith that had been out of use for two weeks after a car mounted the pavement and damaged the traffic light control unit has been a source of much local dissatisfaction and concern. One anonymous reader Emailed me to say:- "I'm absolutely amazed nobody has been hurt trying to cross that road during peak hours. I was very nearly run over by a blue Tesla Model S on Tuesday night following an evening of leaving drinks. It's incredulous they haven't at least installed temporary traffic lights. Even as a driver it's dangerous to signal pedestrians to cross as I cannot account for other drivers (and interestingly enough, I discovered last week that you are legally liable should you indicate to another person that they have right of way, this includes flashing lights or simply giving way)". I was on the 99 bus by the crossing on Friday afternoon last week - a woman with a double buggy only just made it over the closed crossing, as an old BMW 3 series came zooming along from the direction of Queen's Road, just missing her. Had the woman and children been a couple of seconds later, there would have almost certainly been a fatality. Finally, last Tuesday, fully two weeks since the crash that broke the lights, engineers were on site to carry out repairs. The traffic lights are now fully functional once again. In that extended two week period of outage, no temporary traffic lights or other provision was made for the hundreds of local commuters who needed to use the crossing every day. I am astounded that there was not a serious accident at the closed crossing. One other reader suggested that if the council could not provide temporary traffic lights, then perhaps they could have employed a lollipop lady or man at the very least to cover the peak commuting periods. I get the feeling if the crossing lights had been out in Bexleyheath or Welling, the council would have done something far more proactive, but, as Erith is considered to be in the frozen North of the borough, the council could not care less. What do you think? Drop me a line to hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Another issue which has raised a great deal of concern locally is the proposed redevelopment of the area of park land in West Street, adjacent to Chichester Wharf, Erith. Jonathan Batten, the Chair of the Erith Think Tank recently published the following statement and call for action:- "This message has been co-written by Tina and Johnny. Thank you to those of you who were able to attend on Tuesday (12th), and to the representatives from Extinction Rebellion Bexley who also joined us. Detailed minutes from the meeting are attached. Due to illness, the meeting mainly focused on the West Street Park proposed development - plans have now been submitted by BexleyCo to the planning department, with a deadline of objections being December 15th (!!). Pictures of this are attached, including a map showing the location, to those who are not familiar. In short, this is a much used and appreciated area of green space on West street, including 21 mature trees. Green space is finite across Erith. Bexley Council own the land, and have transferred it to their development company BexleyCo for development. The proposed development includes 30 flats, all of which will be sold for market rate; no affordable housing - the planning application can be viewed here. At a previous meeting, the Think Tank attendees were torn between two opinions; either that the development should be stopped, or that it was unclear what dividends (if any) Erith would receive for the great loss of green space, and therefore it was impossible to make a valued judgement. Everyone felt that if it were to be developed, Erith should see some tangible improvement (in infrastructure, for example). We have written to all of the Bexley Councillors on the Planning Committee, the leader of the Council, and to BexleyCo, requesting where the profits from this development will be spent (in Erith), and stating that we cannot support this development until we have sufficient information to make a valued judgement. The leader of Bexley Council, Teresa O'Neill, responded thus: The planning application has been submitted by BexleyCo for 30 homes which, given BexleyCo will look to give Bexley residents priority & aim to create quality housing, will be an opportunity for local residents. The application will go through the usual planning process which will ensure local residents will be consulted and can comment in the usual manner. The application proposes a contribution to affordable homes - and BexleyCo have plans to create affordable housing - that will benefit Bexley residents. All of the above will be in addition to the fiscal contribution to provision of services for local people. We have further queried how flats sold on the open market will have 'priority' to Bexley residents. There will not be any tangible dividend for Erith from the profits of this development, nor any infrastructure included in this scheme. Point 8 from our Manifesto states: We aim to inform, in plain language, about plans for Erith's present and future. To this end, and because the BexleyCo have done such a poor job of consulting local residents, including ignoring a previous consultation on this same plot by Bexley Council in 2015 (no formal response or analysis of this consultation is available), Tina proposed, and it was agreed at the meeting that the Think Tank should organise an 'activation' event, in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion Bexley, to raise awareness of this development. This event will happen in the park from 11.30am on Saturday November 30th, and will include an 'exhibition' showing BexleyCo's plans, highlight the parks value and ecology, and propose an alternative vision for the space. We will be seeking signatures on a petition, and planting a tree (donated kindly by the Wasteless Market) as part of the 'Big Climate Fightback' led by the Woodland Trust at midday. We will also be releasing a press release, and inviting local press. We will be engaging with local residents until 4pm. We are seeking your thoughts and permission to move forward with this activation? Can you help us? We need activists on the day to set up, speak to the public and hand out flyers. Regarding the alternative vision - we are not just opposing the development, but want to proffer an alternative vision! There is an exciting initiative, Pocket Parks, that allows for groups such as the Think Tank, to apply for funds to improve and revitalise parks for the benefit of local communities. You'll see from the minutes that we had lots of ideas for how the West Street park could be improved, intensifying and promoting its use, and making it more of an asset to all of Erith, as well as adjacent residents. We will present visuals of some of these ideas at the exhibition on the 30th". Fascinating stuff. I will be attending the event in the park next Saturday from 11.30am with my camera. Do come along to help preserve our much needed public open spaces.
The third - and as far as I can tell - the final famous actor who had links with the local area - primarily living for a while in Nuxley Road, Upper Belvedere (not Nuxley Village - there is no such place) - is one who is not particularly well known in the UK, but was very famous and well liked in the USA. As a child, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. received a boarding school education. Acting in school plays, he later trained briefly at the Yale School of Drama but didn't apply himself enough and quit. As an NBC network radio page, he auditioned when he could and found minor TV and stock theatre parts while joining up with the Neighbourhood Playhouse. Following WWII war service with the Army infantry in which he was a commissioned officer, he was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded, a director and friend of the family, Garson Kanin, gave the aspiring actor his first professional role in his Broadway production of "The Rugged Path" (1945) which starred Spencer Tracy. With his dark, friendly, clean-scrubbed good looks and a deep, rich voice, Zimbalist found little trouble finding work. He continued with the American Repertory Theatre performing in such classics as "Henry VIII" and "Androcles and the Lion" while appearing opposite the legendary Eva Le Gallienne in "Hedda Gabler". Zimbalist then tried his hand as a stage producer, successfully bringing opera to Broadway audiences for the first time with memorable presentations of "The Medium" and "The Telephone". As producer of Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Consul", he won the New York Drama Critic's Award and the Pulitzer Prize for best musical in 1950. An auspicious film debut opposite Edward G. Robinson in House of Strangers (1949) brought little career momentum due to the untimely death of his wife Emily (a onetime actress who appeared with him in "Hedda Gabler" and bore him two children, Nancy and Efrem III) to cancer in 1950. Making an abrupt decision to abandon acting, he served as assistant director/researcher at the Curtis School of Music for his father and buried himself with studies and music composition. In 1956, Zimbalist was put under contract by Warner Bros. and moved to Hollywood. Zimbalist's first recurring role in a Warner Bros. Television series was as roguish gambler "Dandy Jim Buckley" on Maverick, opposite James Garner in 1957, and making five appearances as the character. In 1958, Zimbalist played the co-lead Stuart "Stu" Bailey in 77 Sunset Strip, a popular detective series running until 1964. During this period, he made several concurrent appearances in other Warner Bros. television shows, such as Hawaiian Eye, The Alaskans, and Bronco. He also starred as the lead in several feature films for Warners, such as Bombers B-52, The Deep Six, A Fever in the Blood and The Chapman Report. Zimbalist was in such demand during this time that he was given a vacation by Jack L. Warner due to exhaustion from his busy schedule. Zimbalist was most widely known for his starring role as Inspector Lewis Erskine in the Quinn Martin television production The F.B.I., which premiered on September 19, 1965 and aired its final episode on September 8, 1974. Zimbalist was generous in his praise of producer Martin and of his own experience starring in the show. Those who worked with him were equally admiring of the star's professionalism and likeable personality. Zimbalist maintained a strong personal relationship with F.B.I. director J. Edgar Hoover, who requested that the show be technically accurate and portray his agents in the best possible light, and he insisted actors playing F.B.I. employees undergo a background check. Zimbalist subsequently spent a week in contact with Hoover in Washington, D.C. and at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The men remained mutual admirers for the rest of Hoover's life. Hoover held up Zimbalist as a model for F.B.I. employees' personal appearance. After 77 Sunset Strip he appeared in other series, including CBS's short-lived The Reporter starring Harry Guardino as journalist Danny Taylor of the fictitious New York Globe. He also appeared in leading and supporting roles in several feature films, including Harlow, A Fever in the Blood (a film about a ruthless politician), Wait Until Dark and Airport 1975. Zimbalist had a recurring role as Daniel Chalmers, a white-collar con man, on his daughter Stephanie Zimbalist's 1980s television detective series Remington Steele, and in the television dramatic series Hotel. In 1990, he played the father of Zorro in the Christian Broadcasting Network's The New Zorro. Zimbalist relinquished the role after the program's first season due to the filming at studios outside Madrid, Spain, and the role subsequently went to Henry Darrow. He had a small recurring role in the 1990s hit science fiction television series Babylon 5 as William Edgars. Also in the 1990s, Zimbalist played Alfred Pennyworth in Batman: The Animated Series as well as in Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, Static Shock, and the animated films Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman and Mr. Freeze: SubZero, Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman; he also played villain Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. He appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and as himself in the 1998 Smithsonian Institution production of Gemstones of America. He performed as the narrator in "Good Morning, America" by Elinor Remick Warren. Zimbalist wrote an autobiography, My Dinner of Herbs, published by Limelight Editions, New York. Efrem Zimbalist Jr's local connection was uncovered by Jacqui Davies, a local author, who met him as a baby. She recalls:- "I was always told by my elder sister I met Efrem when I was a baby. He was in Upper Belvedere during latter part of World War 2. A lot of American pilots and service men visited; also still not sure why but I know the married couple who managed the Royal Standard pub opposite my Nan's house in Nuxley Road had a lot of well known people who popped in there. I do not know if they were into entertainment but it would not surprise me. I was around 2 or 3 years of age; I was born in 1953 so must of been around 55 or 56 after war time yes I thought maybe he came back to visit people in the area as had association during the war. There was also a lot of Canadians around at the time I was told. My story goes my mum who knew the people who managed the pub took me over there to meet him. Why is a mystery believe me I have tried to get evidence all these years but nothing. The rest of my siblings were not taken it seems it was just me. My mum use to help with parties doing catering etc she also worked for Roger Moore and his first wife Dorothy Squires they threw a lot of parties also. I tried to contact Efrem's daughter but I only had Facebook to do it on I doubt she ever got my message as generally fans run these sites. I was hoping for some evidence but drew a blank".
I know many readers have concerns over their security and privacy whilst online. Whilst most modern web browsers are pretty good at protecting users from the worst online threats, a new one is hoping to really stir things up. The Brave web browser has been created by software guru Brendan Eich, an influential figure who invented the JavaScript programming language, and co-founded Mozilla - the organisation behind the excellent Firefox web browser. Brave, an open-source browser based on the open source Chromium browser project, which is also responsible for Google Chrome - the most popular browser around, and is notable for two things. First, it blocks adverts, trackers and cross-site cookies by default. This feature is called Shields. An icon in the toolbar tells you how many items are blocked, with numbers in the 30s and 40s common. If the site is either well-behaved and you want to allow ads to be displayed, or so badly behaved that it does not work with Shields on (and you are desperate to see the content), you can disable Shields for a site by clicking the icon. Eich says in the Brave 1.0 announcement that the industry's fixation on ads, personalisation and data collection "not only violates privacy, but slows down page loads, drains batteries, and makes for a miserable experience". Currently the Brave browser has a tiny market share of around 8.7 million users. The browser can be downloaded for free for Windows, Linux, MacOS, iOS and Android. I have been running it for the last week on my Apple Mac, and also on my Raspberry Pi running Raspbian Linux; if you are used to Google Chrome, the transition to Brave is extremely easy - your bookmarks and all of your preferences and settings are imported into Brave with a click of a button. The browser looks and feels very similar indeed to Chrome, so nobody should feel outside of their comfort zone. The additional privacy and security controls are mostly enabled automatically, though you can make any personal adjustments in the settings option. Although it is only at version 1.0.1, it is feature full and pretty robust - which bearing in mind it is using the long established Chrome code base, it should be. I have found a couple of minor bugs - nothing earth shattering, but worth me filing a bug report with the software engineering team. Several browsers have taken steps to block trackers and ads, but in many cases, they are limited or need to be enabled. Firefox started blocking some trackers by default earlier this year. Apple's Safari goes a step further by blocking almost all third-party trackers from sites you don’t visit frequently while allowing trackers from sites you check regularly but limiting their duration to 24 hours. Microsoft Edge is still testing a feature that also only blocks some trackers by default, which should arrive on January 15th. Google announced in May that it plans to launch some tracker-blocking tools, but doesn’t plan to block cookies on a large scale and hasn’t rolled out those tools quite yet; instead, the company has said it’s expecting to deliver a way to block certain “classifications” of cookies in Chrome by default in February 2020. Built-in ad-blockers are a little harder to find. Most of the time, you need to download an extension. Chrome automatically blocks ads that fail standards set by the Coalition for Better Ads. The mobile versions of Microsoft Edge have a built-in ad-blocker, but you need to turn it on. Brave’s privacy options go beyond blocking ads and trackers. It actually has two private modes: Private Window and Private Window with Tor. The first is like any other browser’s private or incognito mode: none of your data is saved to your device, but it may still be seen by the websites you visit, your network administrator, or ISP. For added security, Brave has a private mode that uses Tor, also known as The Onion Router, a browser that hides your information by encrypting it and passing it through three relays, bringing that level of security to your browsing. However, Brave notes you may want to switch to Tor’s own browser if security and anonymity are absolutely necessary. The bottom line for all of this is that Brave is built on well proven code from Google Chrome, but with several added layers of privacy and security protection baked in - all for free. You can download the Brave web browser by clicking here.
Rumours are circulating that after getting the old Erith Town Hall a locally listed status, Bexley Councillors have been discussing selling the building for conversion into flats. A couple of readers actually overheard a group of councillors discussing the proposed project. Currently I have no details of the proposal, but it has been known for quite some time that the building was likely to be repurposed, now that the housing functions of Bexley council - which were sited at the Erith Town Hall - have been merged with Bromley Council, there is very little use for the building now. The rumoured repurposing the building into apartments is of little surprise. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com in complete confidence.
Rumours are circulating that after getting the old Erith Town Hall a locally listed status, Bexley Councillors have been discussing selling the building for conversion into flats. A couple of readers actually overheard a group of councillors discussing the proposed project. Currently I have no details of the proposal, but it has been known for quite some time that the building was likely to be repurposed, now that the housing functions of Bexley council - which were sited at the Erith Town Hall - have been merged with Bromley Council, there is very little use for the building now. The rumoured repurposing the building into apartments is of little surprise. What do you think? Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com in complete confidence.
The London Evening Standard once again showed its lack of knowledge, if not outright contempt for the local area in an article it published in its property section last week. The article goes:- "Abbey Wood is the first easterly stop of the central section of the Elizabeth line. Bindu Batta has bought a one-bedroom flat at Erith Baths, within walking distance of the station. The 36-year-old scientist had been commuting from Surrey and now lives in touching distance of central London. Using shared ownership she put down a deposit of £22,500 for a 40 per cent share of a £227,500 home. Her journey into central London from Erith is easy and the last train back is 12.55am, “so I can still go out”. Prices start from £73,125 for a 25 per cent share". The glaring error is that the Standard journalist has confused Abbey Wood with Erith - the Erith Baths development is a short walk from Erith Station, but as the article is written, it makes it sound like the walk is to Abbey Wood Station - the walk from Erith Baths to there is a major route march, and in reality it is two stops on the railway, or a substantial bus journey. Lazy, inaccurate journalism. The Standard does not really care about readers South of the River Thames.
Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "In the past week Barnehurst Ward has suffered one burglary in Twigg Close. This occurred on Friday 15/11/2019 between the hours of 05.15am – 07.45pm. Glass to the rear door was smashed and entry gained. Victim returned to an untidy search and items taken . There has also been an attempted burglary in Appledore Avenue on Thursday 14/11/2019 at 00.35 hours. Suspect was captured on CCTV wearing dark trainers with white soles, a hooded jacket and very quickly attempted the front door handle before walking away in the direction of Fairford Avenue. Following the burglary at 03.55am Merewood Road reported in last week's update we were contacted by a local resident also from Merewood Road who had CCTV footage of a male trying his door handle at 04.02am, In the background a white Audi A3 could be seen in the road with the driver's door open. The suspect was seen returning to this vehicle before making off. We have obtained a registration number from the vehicle and Investigations are ongoing. The team will be rolling out Smart Water kits to residents of Eastleigh Road this weekend. In the meantime we are concentrating on patrols in and around Merewood Road, ABC Roads. The next community contact session will be on Thursday 5th December 2019 at 11.00 in Barnehurst Golf Club. We will be holding a later session on Tuesday 17th December 2019 at 16.00 hours". Belvedere ward:- "School talks have been taking place at Belvedere Junior School this week. Year 4 had a talk about the local Police, what we do and how we can help. Year 5 and Year 6 received talks about bullying, cyber bullying and internet safety. All the pupils seemed to take an interest in the subjects spoken about and we hope that they took on board what was being said, along with having a bit of a laugh in the process. On Sunday 17/11/2019 the annual Sikh Parade took place around Belvedere. The parade went very well and the participants had a good, safe time. There was minor road disruption, which upset a few people, but overall no real issues. There was a report of a burglary at Dowling House a week or so ago. It seems like the door was either left open or the suspect had a key as no damage was caused to gain entry. Dowling House is a secure building with key fob/door buzzer access. Jewellery was the main items taken. Two males were seen to be snooping around the communal garden of Russet Court on the Thursday 14/11/2019, at around 12:30. They were challenged but claimed to be assessing the land at the school as they are looking to buy and develop the land. They were both Asian looking, aged around 30-35 years. The school stated they were not aware to be selling any land. Issues continue in Wadeville Close. The courtyard area of the supported living buildings are having two youths, aged around 14-15 years, loitering inside. They are reportedly smoking cannabis and using this area so as to not be seen. If anyone is seen loitering and look out of place please consider contacting the team. Our next street-a-week is on Monday 25/11/2019 at Wadeville Close. TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ORDER 2019 (WOOLWICH ROAD, BELVEDERE). Temporary closure of Woolwich Road starting on 2nd December for about 3 days. The London Borough of Bexley, being the Traffic Authority for the above mentioned road, in exercise of powers conferred by section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that, to enable FM Conway's on behalf of the London Borough of Bexley to undertake highway improvement works, they intend to make an Order the effects of which will be the introduction of no waiting and no loading in Woolwich Road from outside 146 to 104 both sides of the carriageway. There will also be a road closure to vehicular traffic in Woolwich Road from the junction of Court Avenue to The Junction with Tyeshurst Close. During the closure there will be no egress or ingress to The View except for emergency vehicles. There will also be a banned right turn from Court Avenue, restriction will be removed when works allow. The Order will come into effect on 2nd December 2019 and is valid for a period of 18 months. However, the works are expected to be completed within 3 days. Whilst the works are in progress, an alternative diversion route will be provided via: Eastbound Diversion; Woolwich Road; Nuxley Road, Bedonwell Road, King Harold's Way, Brampton Road, Woolwich Road. Westbound Diversion; Woolwich Road, Brampton Road, King Harold's Way, Bedonwell Road, Nuxley Road, Albert Road, Woolwich Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "Wednesday 13/11/19 1400 – 1445 Theft of Purse in Card Factory Thursday 14/11/19 2255 Theft of Motor Vehicle St Francis Avenue Friday 15/11/19 1900 – 2355 Criminal Damage to Church Bexleyheath Broadway – broken window Sunday 17/11/19 1930 Robbery of a bag from young male on bus Monday 18/11/19 1200 Theft of Motor Vehicle Gravel Hill Close Monday 18/11/19 1145 Theft of Purse in Marks and Spencer. Please ensure that doors and windows to properties are locked and secured with keys (lift the handle and turn the key in the lock) where applicable – revisit home security and lighting now the dark lights are coming. Please be careful with purse/wallets whilst out shopping, make sure they are secured inside your bags with a zip type handbag". Crayford ward:- "Just one burglary and one theft from motor vehicle to report this week. Between 20.00 on 15th November and 09.30 on Saturday 16th November the rear window was smashed on a vehicle parked on Iron Mill Lane, the glove compartment was rifled through but it's not known what may have been taken.There was a burglary on Saturday 16th November between 09.30-11.00 in Woodfall Drive. Entry was made through the front door, the lock was damaged. There were untidy searches in all rooms but especially the children's bedrooms, cash and an iPad in a pink case were stolen. Burglary is one of the most awful crimes and this time of year with dark nights often sees an increase. Please do all that you can to prevent this happening to you, review your home security and refer to www.met.police.co.uk for further tips and security advice. The Crayford Winter Festival takes place on Saturday 30th November between 15.00-19.00 in Waterside Gardens, we will be there along with our colleagues from Neighbourhood Watch, we look forward to seeing you there!"
Erith ward:- "At 01:50 on the 21/11/19 four men tried to unsuccessfully break in to the car park at phase one of Erith Park. Their attempt at entry involved trying to rip out the wiring for the gates, and a push with their car. Photo above for your information". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week we have had some ASB in the Kebab Express on Bexley Road, the team have viewed the CCTV, identified one of the suspects and conducted a home visit to speak with the youths parents. We will continue to identify further suspects and further home visits will be conducted. We will not tolerate ASB on our ward. The team has issued a CPN (Community Protection Notice) to a male this week who has been involved in ASB and being investigated for drug supply. One male was arrested for malicious communications. We have had two Motor vehicle crimes on the ward this week as follows:- On Thursday the 14th November between 08:45 – 09:00 a silver Mercedes VRM GV07 HLO was stolen from Detling Road. Two suspects were seen, one white male and one black male, no further description. On Tuesday the 19th November overnight a vehicle was broken into on Belmont Road, house keys and bank cards were stolen from the vehicle. Please be mindful not to leave valuable items in your vehicle, especially if they are on display, this will make your vehicle a target." Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A burglary took place at sometime between Sunday 17/11 and Monday 18/11 in Springhead Road. There are no actual details at this time as to if anything was stolen as the property is being renovated at the owner is yet to get back to police but entry appears to have been made by smashing a window in the back door. Enquiries are ongoing. In the early hours of Tuesday 19/11 a vehicle in Manor Road had jewellery, a purse and cash stolen from inside. The victim has stated they are quite sure they forgot to lock their car doors but luckily cancelled the banks cards before they could be used. A local CCTV camera did pick up footage of unknown suspects trying car doors during the early hours. Please ensure your vehicle is always locked and do not leave ANY valuables inside your vehicle, even if they are seemingly out of sight. This coming Saturday 23/11 is the St Augustines Christmas Fete in the church hall from 1100-1400. We cannot be there due to days off etc but please pop along to show your support if you can. PC's Mark and James are leaving us for the next month as they are both attending a firearms course in the hope of furthering their career, we wish them well. During this time, our ward is being covered by officers from neighbouring wards including North Heath, Erith and Barnehurst who we thank in advance for their help". Thamesmead East ward:- "Vehicle Crime - Thamesbank Place Friday 15/11/19 between 8:30pm – 11pm Victim returned to vehicle and found that the rear window had been smashed with 'no entry gained or anything stolen '. Whilst in the process of cleaning up the broken glass the victim was approached by a neighbour who stated that at approximately 11pm the night before a vehicle similar to the victims drove into the car park turned around and drove out slightly before reversing back in. Shortly after she heard the window break and the vehicle drive off, but did not see who broke the window. This coincides with the time that victim heard the alarm going off. Mangold Way Friday 15/11/19 between 5:30pm – 9am Saturday 16/11/19 Victim returned to vehicle when she was approached by a neighbour who stated that all four tyres on victim's vehicle were flat. A local garage has confirmed that each tyre was stabbed twice. No suspect/s seen. Other Theft - St Martin's Close Saturday 16/11/19 between 4pm – 12pm Sunday 17/11/19 Victim was returning home when victim received a call from a flatmate stating the door to victim's room was left open and victim's things were scattered around the room. On returning to victim's room it was discovered a laptop and £500 which had been previously withdrawn to pay the rent, had been removed by suspect/s unknown. Criminal Damage - Fleming Way Tuesday 19/11/19 between 1pm – 4pm Victim's kitchen window smashed by means of climbing onto a recycling bin no suspect/s seen. Good News. A vehicle was recovered following a telephone call from a local resident who stated the vehicle had been at the location for 3 days. Various checks were completed confirming the vehicle had been stolen from Plumstead". West Heath ward:- "We have had two burglaries reported to us over the last week. The first took place in Glenview between Saturday November 9th and Tuesday November 12th at 8pm. The victim was on holiday at the time of the incident and this was reported by a neighbour. The rear patio was forced and a side door was damaged .It is not known at this time if any property was stolen. The second burglary took place in Penhurst Road Between Tuesday November 12th at 6.15pm and Wednesday November 13th at 10.30am. Entry was gained via a kitchen window causing the burglar alarm to activate, thankfully the suspects made off and nothing was taken. Several motor vehicle crimes have taken place this week. One theft of a black Mercedes Benz from a driveway in First Avenue on Wednesday November 13th between 02.30am – 06.00am. A vehicle was broken in to in Lodge Hill between Thursday November 14th between 09.30am and 05.30 on Friday November 15th. The driver's window was smashed but nothing was taken. Vehicle broken in to in Gipsy Road overnight on Thursday November 14th 8.30pm to Friday November 15th at 8.10am when the victim discovered the vehicle door ajar. Several pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses were stolen from the vehicle".
The end video this week was taken from the BBC News website; it features former Erith and Thamesmead MP Teresa Pearce, and how she and other MP's suffer from abuse and intimidation from members of the public. Teresa Pearce is not standing in the next election - she is going into retirement. I personally do not envy anyone who stands for public office; the stresses would appear to be immense, and you never get to switch off - the role is pretty much 24/7. Send any feedback to me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly the report from Barnehurst ward:- "In the past week Barnehurst Ward has suffered one burglary in Twigg Close. This occurred on Friday 15/11/2019 between the hours of 05.15am – 07.45pm. Glass to the rear door was smashed and entry gained. Victim returned to an untidy search and items taken . There has also been an attempted burglary in Appledore Avenue on Thursday 14/11/2019 at 00.35 hours. Suspect was captured on CCTV wearing dark trainers with white soles, a hooded jacket and very quickly attempted the front door handle before walking away in the direction of Fairford Avenue. Following the burglary at 03.55am Merewood Road reported in last week's update we were contacted by a local resident also from Merewood Road who had CCTV footage of a male trying his door handle at 04.02am, In the background a white Audi A3 could be seen in the road with the driver's door open. The suspect was seen returning to this vehicle before making off. We have obtained a registration number from the vehicle and Investigations are ongoing. The team will be rolling out Smart Water kits to residents of Eastleigh Road this weekend. In the meantime we are concentrating on patrols in and around Merewood Road, ABC Roads. The next community contact session will be on Thursday 5th December 2019 at 11.00 in Barnehurst Golf Club. We will be holding a later session on Tuesday 17th December 2019 at 16.00 hours". Belvedere ward:- "School talks have been taking place at Belvedere Junior School this week. Year 4 had a talk about the local Police, what we do and how we can help. Year 5 and Year 6 received talks about bullying, cyber bullying and internet safety. All the pupils seemed to take an interest in the subjects spoken about and we hope that they took on board what was being said, along with having a bit of a laugh in the process. On Sunday 17/11/2019 the annual Sikh Parade took place around Belvedere. The parade went very well and the participants had a good, safe time. There was minor road disruption, which upset a few people, but overall no real issues. There was a report of a burglary at Dowling House a week or so ago. It seems like the door was either left open or the suspect had a key as no damage was caused to gain entry. Dowling House is a secure building with key fob/door buzzer access. Jewellery was the main items taken. Two males were seen to be snooping around the communal garden of Russet Court on the Thursday 14/11/2019, at around 12:30. They were challenged but claimed to be assessing the land at the school as they are looking to buy and develop the land. They were both Asian looking, aged around 30-35 years. The school stated they were not aware to be selling any land. Issues continue in Wadeville Close. The courtyard area of the supported living buildings are having two youths, aged around 14-15 years, loitering inside. They are reportedly smoking cannabis and using this area so as to not be seen. If anyone is seen loitering and look out of place please consider contacting the team. Our next street-a-week is on Monday 25/11/2019 at Wadeville Close. TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC ORDER 2019 (WOOLWICH ROAD, BELVEDERE). Temporary closure of Woolwich Road starting on 2nd December for about 3 days. The London Borough of Bexley, being the Traffic Authority for the above mentioned road, in exercise of powers conferred by section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that, to enable FM Conway's on behalf of the London Borough of Bexley to undertake highway improvement works, they intend to make an Order the effects of which will be the introduction of no waiting and no loading in Woolwich Road from outside 146 to 104 both sides of the carriageway. There will also be a road closure to vehicular traffic in Woolwich Road from the junction of Court Avenue to The Junction with Tyeshurst Close. During the closure there will be no egress or ingress to The View except for emergency vehicles. There will also be a banned right turn from Court Avenue, restriction will be removed when works allow. The Order will come into effect on 2nd December 2019 and is valid for a period of 18 months. However, the works are expected to be completed within 3 days. Whilst the works are in progress, an alternative diversion route will be provided via: Eastbound Diversion; Woolwich Road; Nuxley Road, Bedonwell Road, King Harold's Way, Brampton Road, Woolwich Road. Westbound Diversion; Woolwich Road, Brampton Road, King Harold's Way, Bedonwell Road, Nuxley Road, Albert Road, Woolwich Road". Bexleyheath ward:- "Wednesday 13/11/19 1400 – 1445 Theft of Purse in Card Factory Thursday 14/11/19 2255 Theft of Motor Vehicle St Francis Avenue Friday 15/11/19 1900 – 2355 Criminal Damage to Church Bexleyheath Broadway – broken window Sunday 17/11/19 1930 Robbery of a bag from young male on bus Monday 18/11/19 1200 Theft of Motor Vehicle Gravel Hill Close Monday 18/11/19 1145 Theft of Purse in Marks and Spencer. Please ensure that doors and windows to properties are locked and secured with keys (lift the handle and turn the key in the lock) where applicable – revisit home security and lighting now the dark lights are coming. Please be careful with purse/wallets whilst out shopping, make sure they are secured inside your bags with a zip type handbag". Crayford ward:- "Just one burglary and one theft from motor vehicle to report this week. Between 20.00 on 15th November and 09.30 on Saturday 16th November the rear window was smashed on a vehicle parked on Iron Mill Lane, the glove compartment was rifled through but it's not known what may have been taken.There was a burglary on Saturday 16th November between 09.30-11.00 in Woodfall Drive. Entry was made through the front door, the lock was damaged. There were untidy searches in all rooms but especially the children's bedrooms, cash and an iPad in a pink case were stolen. Burglary is one of the most awful crimes and this time of year with dark nights often sees an increase. Please do all that you can to prevent this happening to you, review your home security and refer to www.met.police.co.uk for further tips and security advice. The Crayford Winter Festival takes place on Saturday 30th November between 15.00-19.00 in Waterside Gardens, we will be there along with our colleagues from Neighbourhood Watch, we look forward to seeing you there!"
Erith ward:- "At 01:50 on the 21/11/19 four men tried to unsuccessfully break in to the car park at phase one of Erith Park. Their attempt at entry involved trying to rip out the wiring for the gates, and a push with their car. Photo above for your information". Northumberland Heath ward:- "This week we have had some ASB in the Kebab Express on Bexley Road, the team have viewed the CCTV, identified one of the suspects and conducted a home visit to speak with the youths parents. We will continue to identify further suspects and further home visits will be conducted. We will not tolerate ASB on our ward. The team has issued a CPN (Community Protection Notice) to a male this week who has been involved in ASB and being investigated for drug supply. One male was arrested for malicious communications. We have had two Motor vehicle crimes on the ward this week as follows:- On Thursday the 14th November between 08:45 – 09:00 a silver Mercedes VRM GV07 HLO was stolen from Detling Road. Two suspects were seen, one white male and one black male, no further description. On Tuesday the 19th November overnight a vehicle was broken into on Belmont Road, house keys and bank cards were stolen from the vehicle. Please be mindful not to leave valuable items in your vehicle, especially if they are on display, this will make your vehicle a target." Slade Green and Northend ward:- "A burglary took place at sometime between Sunday 17/11 and Monday 18/11 in Springhead Road. There are no actual details at this time as to if anything was stolen as the property is being renovated at the owner is yet to get back to police but entry appears to have been made by smashing a window in the back door. Enquiries are ongoing. In the early hours of Tuesday 19/11 a vehicle in Manor Road had jewellery, a purse and cash stolen from inside. The victim has stated they are quite sure they forgot to lock their car doors but luckily cancelled the banks cards before they could be used. A local CCTV camera did pick up footage of unknown suspects trying car doors during the early hours. Please ensure your vehicle is always locked and do not leave ANY valuables inside your vehicle, even if they are seemingly out of sight. This coming Saturday 23/11 is the St Augustines Christmas Fete in the church hall from 1100-1400. We cannot be there due to days off etc but please pop along to show your support if you can. PC's Mark and James are leaving us for the next month as they are both attending a firearms course in the hope of furthering their career, we wish them well. During this time, our ward is being covered by officers from neighbouring wards including North Heath, Erith and Barnehurst who we thank in advance for their help". Thamesmead East ward:- "Vehicle Crime - Thamesbank Place Friday 15/11/19 between 8:30pm – 11pm Victim returned to vehicle and found that the rear window had been smashed with 'no entry gained or anything stolen '. Whilst in the process of cleaning up the broken glass the victim was approached by a neighbour who stated that at approximately 11pm the night before a vehicle similar to the victims drove into the car park turned around and drove out slightly before reversing back in. Shortly after she heard the window break and the vehicle drive off, but did not see who broke the window. This coincides with the time that victim heard the alarm going off. Mangold Way Friday 15/11/19 between 5:30pm – 9am Saturday 16/11/19 Victim returned to vehicle when she was approached by a neighbour who stated that all four tyres on victim's vehicle were flat. A local garage has confirmed that each tyre was stabbed twice. No suspect/s seen. Other Theft - St Martin's Close Saturday 16/11/19 between 4pm – 12pm Sunday 17/11/19 Victim was returning home when victim received a call from a flatmate stating the door to victim's room was left open and victim's things were scattered around the room. On returning to victim's room it was discovered a laptop and £500 which had been previously withdrawn to pay the rent, had been removed by suspect/s unknown. Criminal Damage - Fleming Way Tuesday 19/11/19 between 1pm – 4pm Victim's kitchen window smashed by means of climbing onto a recycling bin no suspect/s seen. Good News. A vehicle was recovered following a telephone call from a local resident who stated the vehicle had been at the location for 3 days. Various checks were completed confirming the vehicle had been stolen from Plumstead". West Heath ward:- "We have had two burglaries reported to us over the last week. The first took place in Glenview between Saturday November 9th and Tuesday November 12th at 8pm. The victim was on holiday at the time of the incident and this was reported by a neighbour. The rear patio was forced and a side door was damaged .It is not known at this time if any property was stolen. The second burglary took place in Penhurst Road Between Tuesday November 12th at 6.15pm and Wednesday November 13th at 10.30am. Entry was gained via a kitchen window causing the burglar alarm to activate, thankfully the suspects made off and nothing was taken. Several motor vehicle crimes have taken place this week. One theft of a black Mercedes Benz from a driveway in First Avenue on Wednesday November 13th between 02.30am – 06.00am. A vehicle was broken in to in Lodge Hill between Thursday November 14th between 09.30am and 05.30 on Friday November 15th. The driver's window was smashed but nothing was taken. Vehicle broken in to in Gipsy Road overnight on Thursday November 14th 8.30pm to Friday November 15th at 8.10am when the victim discovered the vehicle door ajar. Several pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses were stolen from the vehicle".
