Croydon high street in chaos as teens repeatedly shoplift with one even 'throwing a lit firework into store'
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police team working around Croydon said on X that this was due to a 'group of school-aged teenagers' that have 'been repeatedly engaging in shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, and general nuisance in Croydon town centre'
A Section 35 Dispersal Zone has been enforced in the Broad Green and Fairfield Wards from 1pm yesterday until 9pm this evening (Friday, March 7). This allows police to exclude a person from an area for a period of up to 48 hours. A child aged 16 or under can be removed and taken to their home or another place of safety.
READ MORE: The unlikely neighbourhood named London's 'coolest' place to live in 2025
READ MORE: Abbey Wood teenager organised 'exceptionally violent' kidnapping in bid to steal £77k
One local business owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, told MyLondon: 'We did have one instance where someone threw a lit firework into our store. I don't know what they thought would happen.'
Dispersal Notice Section 35 Dispersal Zone - Authorised by Inspector Holliday Start: 06/03/2025 at 13:00 HoursEnd: 07/03/2025 at 21:00 HoursThis is for: Broad Green Ward and Fairfield Ward pic.twitter.com/UcKf3neQIP
— South Area - Croydon MPS (@MPSCroydon) March 7, 2025
They also said that there had also been instances of teenagers waving lit fireworks around market sellers in the area. They said that things have improved recently due to a larger police presence, but they still have to remain vigilant.
'Whenever there's a group of students that come in we have to be extra attentive, I wish this wasn't the case because they're students.'
Another business owner told MyLondon that they had struggled with antisocial behaviour in their store. They said: 'We've got problems. Sometimes five or six teenagers come in and take the stuff without paying, making trouble.
'Last time when I told them to get out one of them had a can of Coke and they threw it into the shop so it was all messy. The coke got everywhere.'
Mark Oram, who works at Dabners Pet Store, told MyLondon that while he hadn't experienced issues with school-age children, antisocial behaviour in the area was still a huge problem.
'We've got a lot of drunks and drug addicts,' he said. 'It's lawless, absolutely lawless. There's so much crime which you don't even hear about. Stabbings are by the hour.'
The Section 35 Dispersal Order Zone, authorised by Inspector Holliday, gives police powers to take immediate action to prevent further issues and maintain safety in the area. The statement on the South Area Croydon MPS X account says: 'The order is being used because a group of school-aged teenagers has been repeatedly engaging in shoplifting, anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, and general nuisance in Croydon Town Centre. Their actions are disrupting businesses and causing distress to the public.
'By issuing a Section 35 order, the police can take immediate action to prevent further issues and maintain safety in the area.'
Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com
Stay updated on the top South London stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for the latest daily news and more.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto rapper Top 5 stabbed following Drake concert in U.K.
Hassan Ali, also known as Toronto rapper Top 5, was stabbed in the leg by a mob that surrounded his vehicle in London, U.K., hours after he attended a concert by fellow Torontonian Drake, police have confirmed. Police were called to the area after midnight Monday for reports of a stabbing. 'The victim, a man in his 20s, was approached by a group who damaged his car before stabbing him in the leg. He was taken to hospital and his injuries are not believed to be life-changing,' Metropolitan Police said in a statement. No arrests have been made. Hassan Ali, the underground Toronto rapper Top 5, has been released on bail on firearm London tabloid websites linked to cellphone footage showing a group of men climbing onto a white Mercedes and stomping on the windshield, before several kicked the driver while onlookers recorded the frightening scene with their phones. On Sunday, Ali, 27, posted clips of himself watching Drake's set from a VIP section near the stage at the three-day Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park in North London. Ali is currently facing a firearms possession charges in Toronto where the case was in zoom court Monday. Last fall, the prosecution withdrew a first-degree murder charge after a judge excluded crucial prosecution evidence, including his social media posts, videos and lyrics. After Ali walked out of court a free man, he suggested Drake had paid his legal bill and posted a photo on Instagram praising his lawyer, Gary Grill, for being 'the best lawyer in Toronto.' Could Top 5's jury be expected to tell fact from fiction in the postings of a rapper who built However, Grill confirmed he is no longer representing Ali and a different lawyer told the judge on Monday her firm is in the process of being retained. After his arrest earlier this year, Ali was initially released on bail with electronic ankle monitoring, a curfew, and order to live with his parents. However, Grill told the Star that Ali's bail conditions were changed so there was nothing preventing him from being in the United Kingdom. He has a reputation for using social media to stoke feuds with other rappers and in 2021 was ordered to stay off the internet as a condition of his bail. After the stabbing, there was online speculation about whether Ali could have incited the attack after saying on a live stream 'there is no real killers in London.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Three people arrested after Blue Stevens stabbed to death near luxury hotel in Knightsbridge
Three people have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death near a luxury hotel in London's Knightsbridge area. Detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of Blue Stevens, 24, on Wednesday say two people were arrested at an address in Hounslow, west London, on Saturday. One man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. He remains in police custody. Another man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He has been bailed pending further enquiries. Following their arrests, Metropolitan Police officers obtained a warrant to search two properties in Chiswick, west London, where "significant evidence" was recovered. The third man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remains in police custody. Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing in Central West London, said: "These arrests mark a significant milestone in this complex and unfolding murder investigation. "We continue to progress at pace. While we retain an open mind around motive, one line of enquiry is now that this may have been a targeted attack. "Increased police patrols remain active in and around the Knightsbridge area. Please do speak with an officer if you have any questions or concerns." Officers said the incident took place shortly before 9.30pm on Wednesday in Seville Street, near the Park Tower - a five-star hotel and casino in the heart of Knightsbridge. Police said Mr Stevens was found with stab wounds and died at the scene. Read more from Sky News: A spokesperson for the hotel said the incident did not involve staff or guests, and added: "We are very saddened by this incident that occurred on the street adjacent to our hotel." A Metropolitan Police superintendent previously said that the force was aware of reports that the incident was a robbery but stressed last week that "we are keeping an open mind about all possible motives".
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
More than 70 people arrested at UK protests over Palestine Action ban
LONDON - More than 70 people have been arrested at protests in England and Wales against campaign organization Palestine Action being designated a proscribed terror group. Protesters gathered for the second week in a row in central London after police reiterated that showing support for the group was a criminal offense, resulting in the Metropolitan Police making 42 arrests. A further 16 arrests were made in Manchester and 13 people were also held in Cardiff at other related demonstrations on Saturday. In London, two groups of protesters gathered underneath both the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in Parliament Square for the demonstration shortly after 1 p.m. The individuals then wrote the message "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action" with black markers on pieces of cardboard, and silently held the signs aloft as they were surrounded by Metropolitan Police officers and members of the media. Some demonstrators could be seen lying on top of each other on the floor as police searched their bags and took their ID cards and handmade signs. Officers could then be seen carrying away a number of protesters who were lying down, lifting them off the ground and into waiting police vans parked around the square. Other standing protesters were also led away from the statues and placed into the vans. The last of the protesters was lifted from the Nelson Mandela statue shortly after 2.30 p.m. (1330 GMT). All but one of the 42 arrests were for showing support for a proscribed organization, while one person was arrested for common assault, the Met said in a post shared on X. Greater Manchester Police said it had arrested 16 people under the Terrorism Act after responding to a protest in St. Peter's Square, Manchester, at around 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. South Wales Police also confirmed 13 people were arrested on suspicion of committing offenses under the same act during a protest in the vicinity of Central Square, Cardiff. Scotland Yard said its stance remains that officers will act where criminal offenses, including support of proscribed groups or organizations, are committed. The force added that this includes "chanting, wearing clothing or displaying articles such as flags, signs or logos." Police arrested 29 people at a similar protest in Parliament Square last weekend. The terrorist group designation means that membership of, or support for, Palestine Action is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The move to ban the organization came after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at a Royal Air Force base on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused about 7 million pounds ($9.4 million) worth of damage. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action, saying that the vandalism of the planes was "disgraceful" and the group had a "long history of unacceptable criminal damage." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
