The state of Southend and surrounding areas

[mattytheshrimper]

Something has to change!

The crime is getting to an unbelievable high. Car theft, car break in's, house robberies, stabbings the list goes on and on. Without even exaggerating the above are daily occurrences now.

Last night a man was murdered outside of the library, a week before that a stabbing in the same place. A well known man in Southend and Westcliff is going around trying to break in to pretty much every car going (lots of footage doing the rounds on facebook showing the same guy). Even with a name and a alarming amount of footage the police still won't do anything. I know this from experience unfortunately.

What has to happen for the council/government to act upon these disgusting people? I have never hated living in this area more than now and that's before you even talk about the other issues the area is facing.

 

[rigsby]

There is a march at 13:00hrs in Southend High street to protest against the latest murder. The Forum area of Southend is a dangerous place to venture.

Rather like the NW corner at Home to Col U. It would seem the obvious place to have a police presence. With murder cases costing more than £1m and then the cost of high security prison for 10 years plus, you wonder how much we actually save by cutting the public sector to point where we lose jobs and close police and Fire stations.

 

[mattitouk]

I miss living in Westcliff, I had a happy up growing there as a youth, but reading these posts on this thread, it sounds like a scene from "Rise Of The Foot Soldier 3" :sad:

 

[mattytheshrimper]

I miss living in Westcliff, I had a happy up growing there as a youth, but reading these posts on this thread, it sounds like a scene from "Rise Of The Foot Soldier 3" :sad:

Westcliff at day is no problem. At night is a completely different story, honestly getting so bad now!

 

[Shrimpers are Magic]

There is a march at 13:00hrs in Southend High street to protest against the latest murder. The Forum area of Southend is a dangerous place to venture.

Rather like the NW corner at Home to Col U. It would seem the obvious place to have a police presence. With murder cases costing more than £1m and then the cost of high security prison for 10 years plus, you wonder how much we actually save by cutting the public sector to point where we lose jobs and close police and Fire stations.

Closing fire stations is one thing but police stations are quite another. Response teams (the ones who actually respond to emergencies) have long since paraded at police stations - they are more likely to be based in some trading estate where they can fit a proper garage for the vehicles etc. Most crime is reported over the phone these days or on line - there really is no need to attend a police station anymore unless you are signing on for bail!
I'm not saying it's a good thing by the way, just how it is - where I live in Loughton the police station is huge - with no one in it!

 

[rigsby]

Closing fire stations is one thing but police stations are quite another. Response teams (the ones who actually respond to emergencies) have long since paraded at police stations - they are more likely to be based in some trading estate where they can fit a proper garage for the vehicles etc. Most crime is reported over the phone these days or on line - there really is no need to attend a police station anymore unless you are signing on for bail!
I'm not saying it's a good thing by the way, just how it is - where I live in Loughton the police station is huge - with no one in it!

A friend and occasional shrimper had his house broken into for car keys and had his work truck stolen in Hockley. As have more than the fair share of the good people of Hockley. The police themselves told them that Hockley is targeted as the thieves know they have at least 15 minutes to make good their escape even if you wake up and phone them immediately.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

thieves know they have at least 15 minutes to make good their escape even if you wake up and phone them immediately.

and that there is the problem. 15 minutes is very optimistic. Many people are waiting hours for any police response. Thieves know that hence why crime has gone up, little chance of them ever being caught.

 

[rigsby]

and that there is the problem. 15 minutes is very optimistic. Many people are waiting hours for any police response. Thieves know that hence why crime has gone up, little chance of them ever being caught.

Indeed. That would be the absolute best you could hope for with up to 4 intruders in your house at night with your family upstairs. Deadly force is of course acceptable in such circumstances.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Indeed. That would be the absolute best you could hope for with up to 4 intruders in your house at night with your family upstairs. Deadly force is of course acceptable in such circumstances.

very scary indeed!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I miss living in Westcliff, I had a happy up growing there as a youth, but reading these posts on this thread, it sounds like a scene from "Rise Of The Foot Soldier 3" :sad:

Westcliff at day is no problem. At night is a completely different story, honestly getting so bad now!

Also grew up in Westcliff.And happy to confirm (from coming over for our last home game) that there are no problems there during the day.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Also grew up in Westcliff.And happy to confirm (from coming over for our last home game) that there are no problems there during the day.

Really? cars are being broken into daily at the hospital (ask OBL) and house burglaries have shot up. A few of the drunk/drugees have moved over to Southend High Street now that is nearer to HARP and other facilities for them...........as well as being a Policing Free zone.:sad:

 

[rigsby]

Also grew up in Westcliff.And happy to confirm (from coming over for our last home game) that there are no problems there during the day.

Ever thought of standing for police commissioner. You have all the skills needed for crime reduction.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Indeed. That would be the absolute best you could hope for with up to 4 intruders in your house at night with your family upstairs. Deadly force is of course acceptable in such circumstances.

Deadly force, really? Don't you mean reasonable force or have we just transported to the US.

 

[Shrimper]

James Duddridge is a terrible MP. Southend is becoming a bigger ******** by the day. It's sad to see.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Really? cars are being broken into daily at the hospital (ask OBL) and house burglaries have shot up. A few of the drunk/drugees have moved over to Southend High Street now that is nearer to HARP and other facilities for them...........as well as being a Policing Free zone.:sad:

I should perhaps have specified the bits of Westcliff that I visited, (both during the day and night), ie HCR from top to bottom,Roots Hall and the area near the Cliffs Pavilion.That also goes for my wife who walked along the seafront/cliffs from Westcliff to Southend and back, while I was at the game.We both walked from the Cliffs to Leigh and back on what was a very hot Sunday.Didn't need to visit Southend hospital on this particular trip.:winking:

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Duplicate.Dunno why.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I should perhaps have specified the bits of Westcliff that I visited, (both during the day and night), ie HCR from top to bottom,Roots Hall and the area near the Cliffs Pavilion.That also goes for my wife who walked along the seafront/cliffs from Westcliff to Southend and back, while I was at the game.We both walked from the Cliffs to Leigh and back on what was a very hot Sunday.Didn't need to visit Southend hospital on this particular trip.:winking:

You missed the now bad areas of Westcliff at night. Hamlet Court Road area. Valkyrie Road area. The worst is probably Station Road where the druggies come out and dealers from London come in. Police are non existent, only turning up after a crime is reported and usually much too late. The drug problem has reached epidemic proportions in some areas of Westcliff which has seen theft from cars, shops and burglaries go through the roof to feed their habit.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Ever thought of standing for police commissioner. You have all the skills needed for crime reduction.

Ha! One of my cousins (fairly well known to many on here) joined the force and rose to DI until he retired fairly recently.I'm far too intolerant of authority figures to contemplate anything of that sort.

You missed the now bad areas of Westcliff at night. Hamlet Court Road area. Valkyrie Road area. The worst is probably Station Road where the druggies come out and dealers from London come in. Police are non existent, only turning up after a crime is reported and usually much too late. The drug problem has reached epidemic proportions in some areas of Westcliff which has seen theft from cars, shops and burglaries go through the roof to feed their habit.

Seventies,I'm not saying there aren't any problems in the Westcliff area these days.Just that I didn't see any myself, on a recent trip over.And (as I said) I did spend quite a bit of time in HCR.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Ha! One of my cousins (fairly well known to many on here) joined the force and rose to DI until he retired fairly recently.I'm far too intolerant of authority figures to contemplate anything of that sort.



Seventies,I'm not saying there aren't any problems in the Westcliff area these days.Just that I didn't see any myself, on a recent trip over.And (as I said) I did spend quite a bit of time in HCR.

Dick Spooner I presume. He got me out of a few stickey situations back in the day. He's a good bloke and had the respect of most of the dark side. Hope he is well.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Dick Spooner I presume. He got me out of a few stickey situations back in the day. He's a good bloke and had the respect of most of the dark side. Hope he is well.

Yeah.Last time I saw him was shortly before he retired.