Just got this through from the local police via my neighbourhood watch - thought it might be useful to share since I've not seen anything else posted about it here recently.
Dear All
We have recently experienced an increase in motor vehicle crime in the Stroud Green area. The majority being theft from motor vehicle.
To this end, we will be holding several street briefings over the next month to encourage residents to come along and meet your local team as well as discuss any issues you may have and obtain crime prevention advice.
The dates are as follows-
Friday 13th August 2010 8am-9am Oakfield Road jct with Dagmar Road n4
Thursday 2nd September 2010 8pm-9pm outside the library Quernmore Road N4
One description of a recent suspect given to us by witnesses is a black male on a bicycle. If you see anyone acting suspicious please call 999 or the non emergency number 0300 123 1212.
I have also attached some crime prevention advice for you perusal.
Kind Regards
PCSO Laura Phillips 7106 YR
Stroud Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Tel no- 0208 721 2837
Comments
Also found someones bag there which had been thrown into the bushes.
You're right lets keep giving people hand outs so that they don't feel the need to go out robbing. Alternatively, they could go out and work like the rest of us.
The mind boggles!!
The problem is that so many people will only take a role that fits their *insert chosen vocation here*. More people should realise that in the first instance they should work to earn a living and not to form an identity.
Too many people expecting everything on a plate is the problem.
The idea that people should not have hand outs reduced in case they resort to crime begs belief and frankly is very defeatist.
That appears to be the tone of Ali's message above, if I have interpreted it incorrectly then I apologise.
No one is saying that life is easy but the idea that we should hand out money to stop people robbing us is insane!!!
The problem arises when you're forcing people off benefits and there simply aren't the jobs there to provide an alternative - something which the 'work for welfare' programmes, for instance, will only exacerbate, because like unpaid internships, they're a dirt cheap way to replace actual paid workers.
And I'm not convinced that pickiness is the only reason people can't find work. Every set of figures I've seen from anyone except biased parties (Jobcentres, politicians looking to justify tough talk) suggests that while, yes, there are unfilled vacancies in the UK employment market, there aren't anything like as many as there are unemployed people.
There are lots of jobs around, things like working in shops for example - the websites that specialise in retail positions are full of vacancies. Ok, it might not be glamourous but it is paid work that doesn't require special skills. I completely agree with N4Matt, people should in the first instance work to support themselves and their families. It is not the job of the state to support those who can't find jobs doing exactly what they want to do - relatively few people have that luxury.
If I hear one more person who is living off benefits banging on about how they really want a career as a DJ/Designer/Musician and that's why they aren't working, I will scream.
Don't think it's that unreasonable or reactionary to expect people to support themselves instead of expecting others to do it for them.
Interestingly, the country in question does not have to be rich. The richest of all (the USA) scores very badly. So does the UK, apparently amongst the 5 richest (I think that's right). Portugal, on the other hand, does rather well. So does Japan (rich), and, of course, good old Scandinavia (quite rich). So long live equality; - and be suspicious of vast wealth.
As for holding up Japan as any kind of example - the level of overwork there may apply equally across all social strata, but massive levels of institutional corruption mean I'd be very wary of treating their crime stats as anything like the truth, given the collusion of Yakuza and military, given the police hasn't been meaningfully reformed since imperial times and still gets something absurd like a 95% conviction rate.
Back to Britain - "benefits removed from those who refuse jobs that they are offered" is already the case. Has been for ages. I think it may be a three strikes system rather than instant, but that hardly seems unduly lenient. Especially when I consider the number of people I know who have been actively hindered in finding work by the inflexibility and inefficiency of Jobcentres and associated institutions.
Anyway, the proposition remains as expressed above, and posters might like to judge for themselves whether 'The Spirit Level' proves its case. You'll probably cope better than me if you have some knowledge of sociology, economics, and statistics.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/14/the-spirit-level-equality-thinktanks
Also from Saturday's Guardian, a very good account of what life on benefits is actually like, the stupid hoops they make people jump through and the bullshit platitudes:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/aug/13/jobseeking-star-vision-motivational-guru