Neighbours in fear of crime on street (From Daily Echo)
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Neighbours in fear of crime on Grove Road in Southampton
3:20pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News
Police in Grove Road, Southampton
NEIGHBOURS on a street hit by arson and a botched robbery fear they will be next.
This comes as door-to-door enquiries were being made as police continued to probe whether an arson attack on a family home in Southampton is linked to a harrowing raid on the same street.
Just days before the latest incident three masked men barged into another family house in Grove Road, in Shirley, in the early hours – before blurting out that they had the “wrong house”.
Steve Whitmore, 29, from Grove Road, said: “It is pretty scary to be honest. Now with every little bang you are thinking what is that?”
His neighbours told the Echo they were puzzled why the street should have been targeted.
Peter Pienkowski, 26, from Grove Road, said he now feared for his wife and two children, aged eight months and two, while he worked nights as a lorry driver.
A neighbour, who lived near the house targeted by the arson attack, said: “Have they got the wrong street? I am quite concerned that our house might be next.”
In the fire incident, a 15- year-old boy woke to find a crate pushed against his front door which was stuffed full of curtains, newspaper and a duvet cover which had been set alight.
The teenager battled to extinguish the flames before a smoke alarm woke his mother and two elder siblings, who had also been sleeping upstairs.
This comes a fortnight after a botched burglary doors away.
Here a masked men burst in after 51-year-old man and his 16-year-old son answered the door at 2.15am on January 29.
They then charged upstairs to search the bedrooms where mum cowered with her fiveyear- old daughter.
Anyone with information can call Detective Constable Vicki Boddy at Shirley CID on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Comments(7)
Rob444
says...
6:13pm Mon 13 Feb 12
freemantlegirl2
says...
7:26pm Mon 13 Feb 12
loosehead wrote:Just to clarify Grove road is not right next to the Police station, the Police station is adjacent to Villiers road which is in Shirley - it is nearby yes but not next to it. (I also note that Hants Police want to get rid of Shirley Police station, which residents vehemently oppose).
Pity when I went to the Police Station & talked to the Chief Inspector he didn't listen to me & told me it wasn't that bad.
I admit it was about 10 years ago but I lived there for a large part of my life ( Freshfield Rd) so when I saw how they broke into old people's homes & attacked people who were on their own going about their business I couldn't believe the Inspectors reply.
I saw a poor old lady with Dementia being robbed regularly I saw a man being threatened as he didn't want kids doing drugs in his garden I've seen the fire brigade out on a regular basis putting out the fires behind our garages set by the kids drug use.
Then two police officers saying it's not that bad?
this is right next to the station but it might as well not be there
The residents here have been working with the police for a long time and continue to do so to improve things. To give them credit they have worked really hard with the council to stop the anti-social behaviour and crime. An officer did tell me that the majority of crime in areas is always committed by 2 or 3 people, when one of the miscreants was arrested for burglary (broke into a house with an elderly disabled man and stole from him with others) and he moved on to assaults and robbery - crime went down in Freemantle by a third! The Police said that the would get an ASBO on him when he got out but that just moves the problem on elsewhere.... It's no different here than to other parts of Southampton, sadly crime is up everywhere :( how are they going to manage when their budgets have been severely cut?
I hope this maniac is caught soon before anyone gets seriously hurt.
missluffly
says...
8:02pm Mon 13 Feb 12
makes you feel safe in your bed!?
dango
says...
8:12pm Mon 13 Feb 12
missluffly
says...
8:14pm Mon 13 Feb 12
loosehead
says...
9:21pm Mon 13 Feb 12
freemantlegirl2 wrote:Freemantle girl I lived in Randolph street I know exactly where Grove rd,Firgrove rd,York rd are. I also know the police station ( front ) is in Shirley High Street the car park ( police) is in Villiers rd.
loosehead wrote:Just to clarify Grove road is not right next to the Police station, the Police station is adjacent to Villiers road which is in Shirley - it is nearby yes but not next to it. (I also note that Hants Police want to get rid of Shirley Police station, which residents vehemently oppose).
Pity when I went to the Police Station & talked to the Chief Inspector he didn't listen to me & told me it wasn't that bad.
I admit it was about 10 years ago but I lived there for a large part of my life ( Freshfield Rd) so when I saw how they broke into old people's homes & attacked people who were on their own going about their business I couldn't believe the Inspectors reply.
I saw a poor old lady with Dementia being robbed regularly I saw a man being threatened as he didn't want kids doing drugs in his garden I've seen the fire brigade out on a regular basis putting out the fires behind our garages set by the kids drug use.
Then two police officers saying it's not that bad?
this is right next to the station but it might as well not be there
The residents here have been working with the police for a long time and continue to do so to improve things. To give them credit they have worked really hard with the council to stop the anti-social behaviour and crime. An officer did tell me that the majority of crime in areas is always committed by 2 or 3 people, when one of the miscreants was arrested for burglary (broke into a house with an elderly disabled man and stole from him with others) and he moved on to assaults and robbery - crime went down in Freemantle by a third! The Police said that the would get an ASBO on him when he got out but that just moves the problem on elsewhere.... It's no different here than to other parts of Southampton, sadly crime is up everywhere :( how are they going to manage when their budgets have been severely cut?
I hope this maniac is caught soon before anyone gets seriously hurt.
I also know that in Beatrice rd there are flats.
I talked to my neighbours most would lock up at night & not go out side or answer the front door.
I also remember the huge bonfire on the pavement from the druggie & his mates who lives with ( did) his mum in Strawberry fields & the state of it the next day.
I also remember asking Alan Whitehead about forming a basketball league to get the youth to look after the area.
I was fobbed off with his secretary who told me they had tried a similar approach but the local youth turned up with chains & knifes.
I asked the Chief Inspector to put up CCTV cameras so they could see who was robbing the poor lady with Alzheimer's he said it was to expensive.
I asked as had been previously been done in another part of the area that the police take over an empty flat & see for themselves what was going on he refused.
The Fire Brigade told the police they needed to sort it or it could end up with a major fire ( lighting the drugs & throwing the matches into paper to keep them warm behind our garages)
The police said it wasn't that bad.
Shirley Police Station is in walking distance to Grove rd. but I've seen cars/vans parked illegally in the High street in front of the station or on the pavement alongside the station in Villiers street. you see more police & police cars opposite 5 acres than you do in Shirley,Freemantle or ( the real) Millbrook. I also lived in Tremona rd & I can tell you your area ( Randolph street 10 years ago ) was far ,far worse than that rd or Laundry rd.By the sounds of it,it hasn't got any better
loosehead says...
4:06pm Mon 13 Feb 12
I admit it was about 10 years ago but I lived there for a large part of my life ( Freshfield Rd) so when I saw how they broke into old people's homes & attacked people who were on their own going about their business I couldn't believe the Inspectors reply.
I saw a poor old lady with Dementia being robbed regularly I saw a man being threatened as he didn't want kids doing drugs in his garden I've seen the fire brigade out on a regular basis putting out the fires behind our garages set by the kids drug use.
Then two police officers saying it's not that bad?
this is right next to the station but it might as well not be there