FUMING residents of a street in London saying they’re being forced out by thugs running rampant with swords.
People living in Royal Hill, in the south of the capital where houses are worth up to £1.8million, say their road has become a crime hotspot as “there is money” in the area.
The Greenwich residents say a series of reported stabbings and burglaries have left them feeling “nervous” – with at least one incident even involving a samurai sword.
Tobias Benjamin Decrespingy Moy, who runs The Junk Shop in the area, told how customers often tell him they feel scared.
The 57-year-old told the LDRS: “The thing is there’s more money in this area, so you’re going to get more of the thieves coming in.
“There’s a chance that somebody’s going to be blinged up or have a house with a bit of bling in it.”
Mr Moy said one customer came into his store with his head “completely smashed in” following an attack.
He added: “The bloke pulled out a big massive samurai sword or something.”
The shop owner said the crime rates coupled with rising house prices is forcing to people to look for somewhere else to live.
“People are being pushed out, but in some ways, it’s good for them because they might be getting much nicer flats for the same price. But the thing is they’re all pushed out into rougher areas,” he said.
Former resident Greenwich Park Chris Peacock, who still works on Royal Hill, said the area has become more crime ridden.
He told the outlet: “There’s loads around here now.
“Only the other week someone got stabbed out by the Mitre pub, so Greenwich is no safer to anywhere else at the moment.”
Lauren Wallace, Met Police sergeant for Greenwich Park and Greenwich Creekside, said cops are working the the council to combat crime and anti-social behaviour.
She told LDRS: “We’ve executed warrants, including the seizure of a significant magic mushroom farm [and the] investigation is currently ongoing.
“There have been large operations involving Traffic, Air Support Unit, Robbery squad, Violence suppression unit, Greenwich CCTV, Safer Neighbourhood teams and we’ve linked in with neighbouring boroughs to pull resources in for this.”
Meanwhile, people living in a town famed for its seaside fairground and for providing the setting for the hit BBC TV comedy series Gavin and Stacey say it has become overrun with drug addicts.
But Barry in south Wales is also earning itself a reputation as a haven for druggies and teenage youths who are leaving locals too scared to leave their homes.
Residents say addicts are often holed up in ‘halfway house’ properties being snapped up by opportunistic landlords.
The town was identified as one of five neighbourhood crime hotspots in England and Wales this year in a report by the think tank Onward – which said that tackling antisocial behaviour was crucial for “left behind” areas.
The local economy is in ruins with businesses reporting a drop in footfall of up to 60 per cent.
In the town’s Holton Road, business vacancies are up to 18 per cent, which means almost one in every five shops is closing down.
Many, including two once-thriving pubs, have been converted into accommodation for the homeless and those with drug addiction.
