Exclusive:Police leaders and political representatives join Hornchurch walkabout to talk to local shop keepers.

‘I am listening to your concerns and taking measures to mitigate and deal with any criminal behaviour within the area. Any criminal behaviour will not be tolerated’-Inspector Connolly.

A special walkabout in Hornchurch took place yesterday, Tuesday 7 August, where our police leaders joined forces with our local politicians to chat to retail staff about issues of concerns.

The Havering Daily alongside Havering and Redbridge GLA Member Councillor Keith Prince organised the event to give shop keepers and their staff the opportunity to chat with key police officers about the issues they are facing daily.

Cllr Keith Prince was joined by the Hornchurch and Upminster MP Julia Lopez, Neighbourhoods Superintendent Simon Hutchison and Havering Safer Neighbourhood Team South Inspector Mark Connolly. The team spent a long period of time going to different retail outlets and chatting to staff about the issues of shop lifting that the area is currently suffering. Staff openly spoke about how specific individuals seem to be targeting their shops daily.

Staff from the very popular local store Best Sellers were able to share the issues they and other shops face in the battle to stop thieves. Mr Simms Sweet Shop staff also spoke about the challenges they deal with daily.

Inspector Connolly told the Havering Daily: “I want to reassure business owners within Hornchurch High Street and members of the community that I am listening to your concerns and taking measures to mitigate and deal with any criminal behaviour within the area. Any criminal behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Please speak with your local community officers who are visible and patrolling daily and continue to report any criminal behaviour by calling 999 and 101.”

Keith Prince told the Havering Daily:

“I would like to start by thanking Francesca of the Havering Daily for organising our walk about today and Superintendent Hutchinson and Inspector Connolly for accompanying us
It was clear that a number of shop keepers have been suffering from regular shoplifting. It was good for me and Julia Lopez MP to hear this first hand
We discussed what options are currently available and results from operations in other Havering shopping centres.

There is no immediate solution but it has been agreed that working together there could be a way forward which all those concerned can explore.”

Julia Lopez Mp told the Havering Daily:

‘In Hornchurch today, I had an important chance on behalf of residents to meet Havering’s policing lead, Superintendent Simon Hutchison, and Inspector Connolly. We talked about local people’s worries – from car theft and shoplifting to the safety of our streets. 

 Communities across the country are suffering from repugnant violence and we discussed how to reassure residents and support police officers on the front line. Thankfully, Havering has not been impacted by the disorder that has played out elsewhere but I am grateful for the vigilance that local officers have shown in ensuring regular contact with community and faith leaders to make sure that remains the case.

We spoke to small business owners in Hornchurch and staff on the shop floor of bigger shops. They are worried that organised gangs and drug users are thieving with impunity. We want to take the lessons from Harold Hill – where this kind of crime has dropped by 50% after a targeted operation – and bring them to Hornchurch. We also need to get British Transport Police more involved so people cannot use the transport network to come into the area to commit crime.

Given that local officers are already too frequently abstracted to police protests in central London, I am concerned about further abstractions to quell riots. While abstractions in these circumstances are challenging to limit, I continue to lobby the Mayor of London to reduce their impact by giving Havering the officer numbers it needs. I was glad we were joined by Councillor Keith Prince, our Assembly Member who holds Mayor Khan to account on these issues in City Hall.’

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