A parent patrol scheme wants to expand their Dulwich operations as residents raise the alarm about rising crime levels.
The community patrol scheme, called Love Your Doorstep, has called for government funding and said they hoped to expand their operations into East Dulwich.
It has been running for five years and claims it has seen a 48% drop in robberies and anti-social behaviour in operational areas.
Richard Cuevas, 45, who works in financial services, was walking home along East Dulwich Grove when a cyclist tried to snatch his phone.
After Cuevas managed to wrestle his phone back the fleeing cyclist shouted: “You’re lucky.”
Cuevas said: “He had no fear whatsoever of being caught or doing what he’s doing.
“And when that’s happening, what does that say about the state?”
Similarly, St John’s & St Clement’s Primary School recently sent a warning to parents after a mum had her phone snatched by a cyclist at the gates.
Emma Rigby, founder and director of Love Your Doorstep, said: “It takes a community to solve these issues and the scheme is all about partnership, working with local schools, local businesses and other community organisations.”
The Love Your Doorstep scheme began in Enfield and expanded into Dulwich Village and West Dulwich last November.
It relies on volunteers to provide an adult presence on the streets after school.
When the scheme expanded, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood Helen Hayes joined a patrol last November.
A group of parents, including a member of Love Your Doorstep, met with Hayes last Friday to discuss the issue.
Dulwich Village councillor Richard Leeming said: “We have been made aware of these concerns and are liaising with the police to address them.
“This is a London-wide problem.”
According to police data, crime in Dulwich Village reached its three-year peak in the last quarter of 2023, dropping to slightly above average in the first quarter of 2024.
However, the Metropolitan Police have been unable to accurately log crime data since March 2024 due to an issue with their data feed, so exact crime levels are unclear.
Cuevas also noted that crime may be underreported as he did not register the attempted mugging with the police because he was concerned rising crime rates in his area would impact his insurance levels.
Photo Credit: Emma Rigby
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