VIDEO: Teens aim to reduce crime with campaign (From Croydon Guardian)
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VIDEO: Croydon teens aim to reduce crime with campaign
2:10pm Thursday 7th February 2013 in News By Hannah Williamson
Students from Norbury Manor Business and Enterprise College have launches a new campaign
Students have launched a campaign to help cut crime at shops near their school.
Year 10 students at Norbury Manor and Business and Enterprise College, Rachel Billington, Nikita Hanson and Maryam Ghafoor, have started a petition calling on Croydon Council and police to work together to reduce crime outside a row of shops in Green Lane.
After speaking to shop owners as part of their citizenship coursework, the girls discovered many had been affected by crime, including armed robberies and burglaries.
Rachel, 15, said: "We spoke to a lady who worked in Co-op and she was pushed in a burglary while they were trying to take the cash register. She was trembling just talking to us about it.
"The man in the pizza shop had his bike stolen and a woman who was shopping with her child told us she had been mugged."
After getting 300 signatures on the petition, the group plan to meet with the council and police to see if CCTV cameras can be installed and police patrols increased.
Maryam, 14, said: "People don't feel safe along Green Lane and there is no CCTV. We would really like it to become a no loitering zone as groups often hang around outside the shops."
The petition has already been signed by over 80 people and the group have produced a video about the campaign.
Shopkeepers in Green Lane admit there is a problem with crime and have backed the scheme.
Ian Laslett manager of Co-Op said: "In the last six months we have been victims to burglaries and an armed robbery.
"Crime is a problem but it is all about working with the community to over come it. It is great these students are trying to help."
Karim of Deli-licious bakery added: "We do need to feel safe here and the installation of CCTV would be welcome."
Nikita, 14, added: "We are going to fight for safety on Green Lane and if people help us by signing the petition we can make it work."
To sign the petition visit ipetitions.com/petition/tackling-crime-on-green-lane/
Watch the campaign video at Croydonguardian.co.uk
