Thanks yagers, it just really annoys me that the CCTV is there to supposedly make us all feel safe, but when it comes to actually being attacked it is useless. I wonder if the perpetrators of such crimes actually know this.

Is this the tiny woman? Might be worth providing a description so other people using the bus can look out for her.

That's a disgusting response from the police. They certainly managed to secure cctv footage of some more high profile crimes on the buses so why not on this occasion? Is it because cases are prioritized? I'm not anti-police because I have found them very helpful when I have reported crimes but what you report is unpleasant to hear. perhaps the police who post on here can give an explanation?

I hope you're ok and that your confidence is still in one piece.

I have contacted Lynn F. via her website. The woman at Islington police was most unhelpful stating that they didn't have time to sort out everything and that she needed to have days off! I will try contacting the bus company, does anyone know who they are?

In the meantime here is a description of the woman so if anyone sees her attacking someone else call the police and mention this site/my experience. Female, age late 30's - mid 40's, dark skinned (possibly mediterranean/arabic), dark hair but wearing a headscarf so couldn't tell what style/length etc, short - about 5'4-5'6, quite stout, wearing dark grey or black clothing and a dark coloured headscarf. North London accent. I seriously hope nobody encounters her because she is a nasty piece of work.

I know the police are very busy and some cases take priority over others, but surely the bus companies should be keeping the CCTV longer? I know at work we keep ours for months and that's just an office where nobody gets attacked!

@Misscara, if you look at the feed for @MPSHaringey, it's their most recent tweet.

Thanks Annie, I was just a bit caught up with work this afternoon and wiki on my phone is very slow.

Sorry to hear that Misscara, that's horrible, as is the police response.

@Ilovegreyhounds: I don't think the BTP have jurisdiction over buses, so I think the Met would be the right force to contact (which I imagine is what Misscara did).

@vetski: robbery is a crime against the person.  It means theft from a person by means of force or threat of force.  'Street robbery' encompasses what is commonly referred to as mugging.  So don't be too quick to dismiss the police response to that incident.

Just shows you how rubbish the policing here is. Just like when the riots happened. They dont really care for anyone but themselves. Its not hard to get access to cctv, in the end its there to be viewed right? They waste money on stupid things like stopping people for no apparent reason ( i was stopped twice walking home from my shop in the past 3 weeks) . I was told there was gang activity in the area and on the other occasion a robbery. Police here are stupid,they arent trained good enough and they are all too scared for their lives to really help anyone.

They cant view cctv, so if the same person attacked someone else and seriously hurt them, who would be to blame? Some suited guy from metropolitan police will come on tv say sorry and how they are trying to do everything they can blah blah.its stupid.

@Roy, I wasn't dismissing it - I think I was confusing it with burglary!

Sorry to hear about this Misscara.     I have had a very similar experience with the police and CCTV myself and the simple fact is that if they don't want to be bothered with it, they'll just ignore you - CCTV or not.    Complain, complain, complain again, put it in writing, ask for an explanation, and make their pathetic jobsworth lives hell!

I believe you have the right to view the footage yourself under freedom of information if you contact the bus company. If you then have evidence of this attack I'm sure the police will be much more willing to act.

My sympathy Misscara,

If any of the local police who do post on here read this: pull your finger out, step in and sort this out. Seize responsibility and then update us on what you have done. Get yourself some good PR.

The police rely on law abiding everyday citizens to be their eyes and ears and every time they fail like this a little bit more of that helping hand gets lost and their job gets harder.

Terrible experience, my sincere sympathies. A mate of mine saw a verbal assault on a train in Charlton and 'had a go' to get them to back off and calm down. Mistake. They set on him, but fortunately they ran off at close station. No CCTV either and victim affrsid to support my friend with cops. Very depressing side of London. Makes you wonder what a 'good citizen ' can really do in this f?!!ong Big Society. Chang