Some people may say crime rates are increasing or decreasing as some crime is sadly left unnoticed it is hard to say definitively, that is has increased or decreased.
Around a one-mile radius of BR3 postcodes the main type of crime is violent crime – It is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use force upon a victim, which is currently at a rate of 603. There have been a lot of violent muggings in the area with the perpetrators riding on mopeds through parks and threatening children. Caitie Marron, a local schoolgirl was approached by grown men who threatened her with a knife recently. “I was absolutely terrified for my own safety and I still haven’t been back to the park for months, children shouldn’t have to feel unsafe in a place that is meant to be child friendly”. Following that incident, the men have now been charged.
Antisocial behaviour is currently at a rate of 476, it is acting in a manner that has "caused or was likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to someone. For example, in Beckenham some things that could be classed as this are noisy neighbours, graffiti, drinking or taking drugs which leads people to causing trouble.
Theft is also at a rate of 481- This includes shoplifting, bike theft, theft from another person and other theft. Magill’s of London, situated on Beckenham High Street has had a 5ct diamond tennis bracelet to the value of £12,000 stolen by a couple recently.
However, crime rates in Beckenham is luckily not as bad as other crime rates in different parts of this country such as Central London and Birmingham.
-Eleonora Broden-Barbareau
