‘It’s very scary, we need more police on our streets.’ Mum speaks of son’s knifepoint mugging.

A mum whose son was mugged at knifepoint of his jacket and bank card last night is upset at the appalling lack of police on our street due to cutbacks.

17-year-old Aaron from Aveley was on his way home from his girlfriend’s house on the 294 bus last night when he was mugged at knifepoint.

Karen, his mum told the Havering Daily: “He was returning home from his girlfriend’s house when he got off the 294 bus and was outside Harold Wood station. Two boys also got off the bus and first approached him asking him for a cigarette.

“They then walked off but came back with hoods and balaclavas on to conceal their faces and pulled out knives demanding Aaron’s jacket.”

The mother of three was shocked at what happened and is upset by the lack of police on our street.

“The scariest part for me was that it was just down the road from there that Jodie Chesney lost her life to knife crime and here we are all these months after and there is still the same level of knives on our streets. What is going on in these teenager’s lives for them to feel the need to carry knives like this?

“Where has all our police gone? I feel sorry for the police, they are run ragged what little we have. It’s not good enough we need our police back on the streets stopping attacks like this.”

The two teenagers are described as both between 17-18 years old, one 6’2 and the other 5’6, the tall one was wearing a long black coat down to his shins, both black.

“My son was sad and shocked when he came home. I don’t think kids think it’s going to happen to them. Do we have to send our children out in two’s now to stop this? Not enough is being done to stop this knife crime.

“What frightens me is the thought of what would have happened if Aaron had refused to hand over his coat? It’s very scary.“

Karen has reported the crime online but is yet to speak to a police officer.

“I would like to speak to the police as the bus had CCTV cameras and they were seated upstairs without their faces covered. Also, a man who works in the shop nearby said he might have CCTV footage of them as they walked away with my son’s jacket.

“Aaron has gone to college as normal today as I wanted him to carry on with his routine but I am worried when the shock of what has happened does kick in. Sometimes it can take a few days to show.

“It’s very scary, we need police on our streets to stop all this gang culture.“