Crime Report

January 2022

Purley BID has regular engagement with key stakeholders in delivering a safer place in Purley. This includes:

Purley Police Safer Neighbourhood Team
The Purley Ward Panel – Prioritising Policing resources
Business Owners
Resident’s Association meetings
Superstore security manager
Private security firms
Purley Pub Watch
Purley Business Night-time Security Group
Croydon Night-time Security meeting
GLA Night-time Economy Security Group

Even with this, there is still, unfortunately, crime in the area. Current crime reports indicate that there is actually a slight reduction in crimes involving stealing from a property and an increase in car thefts.

However, more recently there has been a spate of break-ins being reported to the Purley BID. By the nature of the break-ins, these appear to be more opportunist than planned but are still causing distress and expense to the business owners. As they appear to be opportunists, the Police recommend providing more secure doors and using shutters.

It is unfortunate that measures such as shutters are required as it is shown that towns that have shops with lights on at night provide brighter streets and also ensure a feeling of a safer environment. In fairness, Purley BID has joined several security groups of other district centres in Croydon and Purley does have a relatively safe feel at night.

With recent car thefts of a business owner and a BID team member, this is again very distressing. However, the police recommend that no one engages with someone trying to steal a car. It is far better to spend time managing a stolen car, as opposed to an assault.

Police resources are very short and cannot provide a full-time presence in the town. Therefore, Purley BID has spent resources for 10 months in providing extra private security patrolling the town. Upon regular reviews, it was finally decided to put a halt to these patrols and focus on other areas of security and safety.

However, due to January 2022 there has been a requirement to bring back the nightly patrols for 3 weeks, with an initial blitz for 3 patrols for 1 week.

We have had a response from Chris Philp MP, who is duly concerned and has written to the metropolitan police and will let us know if there are any significant updates.

Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer has also responded, reporting that he has raised this with the Purley and Woodcote Safe Neighbourhood team. FYI another route for us all to contact the local police team is by this email: PurleyandWoodcote.SNT@met.police.uk

Also policing numbers is a GLA matter so Councillor Brew has asked our GLA member (Neil Garrat) on Purley BIDs behalf as to if the extra policing rollout has reached to Croydon and Purley yet.

The BID is currently rolling out safe zones and is registered with the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter. We continue to run the Purley Pub Watch and have an active night-time security group, which is able to share security intelligence.