Forum Topic

You mean..it's not really sensible to walk along the Canal towpath?

What is local life coming to when it seems you risk being a victim of crime..when exploring the canalside scene in Brentford.I've just read the story on the front page of this website..of someone being threadened with a knife unless he handed over his personal property."Knife drawn in canal path robbery"Description of the villain....black..over six foot tall..hooded and with a bike?..does little to help eradicate that kind of image from one's mind.Do you remember that elderly woman who was recently attacked on the canal towpath ..and she finished up in Hospital? There had been several children involved..and at the time of reading the story ..I had hoped to speak to the local police to find out what kind of investigations they did afterwards..at local schools etc..particularly as they had a description. But I ran out of time.I enjoy wandering the old parts of Brentford..as some of you will have gathered..but the prospect of getting stabbed by some lout is a bit off-putting. And, of course, we hear that crime is going down. Well those two towpath offences should graded as big black marks.

Jim Lawes ● 7192d13 Comments

So, crime is down,eh?Opinion or fact?Depends who's spin you believe I suppose. The murder rate in this country has doubled in the last 15 years(800+ last year).I don't believe in the death penalty either, but I do believe in a period of hard labour for all violent offenders,to be served for the first half of their sentence,the last half being for rehab.After all,who likes hard work, and what better to focus an offenders mind than doing hard work that benefits the community they have blighted.America has a whole load of different social, cultural and race and class issues than the UK, so comparisons in many aspects of life don't ring true in my opinion.What do you suggest we do,Sheldon, as you are quick to denounce the ideas of others,however contentious,without offering any possible solutions that may help to solve the problem of increased violent crime?

Keith Iddon ● 7177d

Sincere apologies, Anne. I chewed on the wrong end of the stick I think...just makes me so angry when cowardly hooded a**eholes like this scumbag go around doing what they want.

Keith Iddon ● 7177d

When the media reports various crimes, the merits of each report can be substantiated by official police comment thus we can identify if the crime actually happened as reported. I suggest that the reports of the mother and baby who lost their lives in an arson attack by youths this week, and the mother murdered while her baby slept in their home in Northants yesterday,or the canal robberies, etc etc etc .......I could go one for a 6 months I'm sure - are indeed actually accurate!It seems easy to dismiss punishment aimed at those who commit serious crime whilst never having experienced the feeling of being a victim. Again I say, focusing on the victim and not the criminal (or their rights) is the first step in the fight against those that choose to create misery. Then subject them to a punishment which prevents from re-offending - whatever it takes.

Dave Milne ● 7178d

""Crime is actually falling, as is youth crime, but you do not get hear about that, because our media seem intent on scaring the living daylights out of all and sundry""Sheldon.If you're an expert on Police statistics..and matters relating to the reporting of crime...please don't go away..as you might be able to enlighten some of us!!Also, if the media didn't report crime incidents..how would we find out what's going on?In my view..crime incidents by the few culprits..is still high..even if the nature of their crimes and anti-social behavior is now different from years ago. Why do you think that the Prison population is at a very high level (77,000)?

Jim Lawes ● 7179d

Keith,I have the deepest sympathy for victims of muggings and any sort of violence, but the scum that perpetrate these actions are treated too kindly;  it is not 'flippant' to say they would be 'untied and turned loose by the powers that be' and the vigilantes would be hunted down.  It is only too true, sadly.My home was ransacked by burglars back in the reasonably safe 60s, and I assure you it was a ghastly experience to return home and find the result of their night's work.  We didn't feel safe in our own home for weeks afterwards.I did not intend to be flippant. However, I make no apology for the vigilante idea nor do I take back the suggestion that the muggers are treated to leniently.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7179d

Crime is actually falling, as is youth crime, but you do not get hear about that, because our media seem intent on scaring the living daylights out of all and sundry.Ok, people do regrettably get mugged now and again but the hyped coverage of 'the hoodie menace' etc go a long way to creating the climate of fear a lot of people are living in today. As the people in this thread asking for the Death Penalty to be brought back - Do me a Favour!!!!! The Death Penalty does not work, as proved in the USA where the overwhelming proportion of inmates on Death Row are black with little or no education from poor economic backgrounds. Chances of beating the death penalty when your white (and not a serial killer or bomber!)- pretty good I'd say. Do we really want to go along that road?

Sheldon Wicks ● 7179d

Jamie and Anne, You might be less flippant if you or a loved one were to be mugged and seriously scarred,physically and emotionally.

Keith Iddon ● 7179d

Jamie,You read my mind...what a pity you couldn't have four or fives big chaps hidden in the bushes along the canal side then send off your 'victim' and when the mugger makes his threat, have your lads jump out and beat the living daylights out of him! Preferably then tie him up and leave him on an island in the middle of the Great West Road to be found by the police (who regrettably would immediately set him free, and go about looking for your vigilanties!).It's becoming like the Wild West before the law moved in, and groups of vigilanties kept some form of order.I am getting back down in to my trench before the flak starts flying from the 'human rights brigade'.

Ann S. Allridge ● 7183d

Well expressed Dave - couldn't agree more. I'm all for civil rights, liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness for all, but when criminals deny these rights to others, I think they should be punished appropriately.

Gerry Tan ● 7183d

I say we all chip in and hire a vigilante group.D/ya think Charles Bronson is still available. He was great in Death Wish...

Jamie Yardley ● 7183d

I am not surprised. Simply, there needs to be a much harder line taken against people that create violent crime before the streets can become safer. The police must be given greater degrees of power in order to police, and offenders should be given proper punishment, without regard to civil or other rights they currently hold.Abolish the do-gooders that endlessly prioritise the welfare of the criminals rather then victims, and introduce capital punishment. No more pussy footing around, a good all round hard approach on those that seriously break the law would see the streets become much safer. Its a disgrace that people cannot walk the streets without their very lives being threatened.

Dave Milne ● 7185d

Another recent mugging on the towpath is reported on the front page of this Website today.Again it happened at the end of the office day (5pm -6pm) on a Friday.One wonders if it might not be a good idea to erect warning signs on approaches to the Canal pathway.  What I mean is...if we are aware of dangers along there...if its a black spot...then perhaps innocent and unaware office workers should be warned of the dangers.A "Beware of Muggers" sign would enable innocent people to realise that the Grand Union Canal toepath is a no go area ..because criminals have made it so. Blowed if I'd risk it. The crims have won!

Jim Lawes ● 7185d

This story reminded me of an interesting “for” / “against” argument.Several years ago I attended a police meeting on safety where someone said that there should be more CCTV.  The police response was that it was better to spend the money on street lighting as CCTV just produced tapes of “hoodies”.  Of course, they didn’t use the word hoodies back then but they did make the point that people were learning to wear hood type clothing just has criminals years ago had heard of fingerprints and had started to wear gloves.I’m told that the current thinking has changed 180 degrees and CCTV is back in favour…?

David Johnson ● 7192d