SUTTON
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
 

Working together to beat crime in:

Beddington ~ Belmont ~ Carshalton Central
Carshalton South & Clockhouse ~ Cheam ~ Hackbridge
North Cheam ~ South Beddington ~ St Helier East ~ St Helier West
Stonecot ~ Sutton Central ~ Sutton North ~ Sutton South
Sutton West & East Cheam ~ The Wrythe ~ Wallington North
Wallington South ~ Worcester Park North ~ Worcester Park South

Dear Resident,

Welcome to the April edition of the Sutton Neighbourhood Watch (SNHW) newsletter. As we move into spring, we would like to wish you and your families a Happy Easter and thank you for your continued support. In this edition, we provide you with some dates when we will be out and about at events across the borough, so please come along to see us and/or lend an hour or two working alongside us on a stall. The events are:

• World Parkinson’s Day Event – Sutton Library, 2nd Floor, St Nicholas Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday 11 April

• Stonecot Community Meeting, St Bede’s Conference Centre, St Raphael’s Hospice, London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9DX – 23 April at 7.30 p.m. Guest speaker: Steve Triner, CEO of Citizens Advice Sutton

• Wallington Community Event, Holy Trinity Centre, Maldon Road, Wallington, SM6 8BL from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday 24 April

• Cheam Charter Fair, Park Road, Cheam, SM3 8PY from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday 16 May – volunteers needed

• St Helier Festival, field opposite David Weir Centre, Carshalton, SM5 1SL from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday 20 June – volunteers needed

• Carshalton EcoFair, Carshalton Park, Ruskin Road, Carshalton, SM5 3ET from 10.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Bank Holiday Monday 31 August – volunteers needed.

An hour or two of your time can make a meaningful impact—so if you’re able to help, please get in touch here.

And our AGM is to be held on Wednesday 16 September from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room G1, Civic Offices, Sutton, SM1 1EA – all members welcome.

Have Your Say: Met Police Review Survey (Deadline 30 April)

Residents are invited to contribute to the Fairfield Independent Review of the Metropolitan Police Service. This review is assessing progress following Baroness Casey’s 2023 recommendations, with a focus on culture, standards and public confidence. The survey takes 10–20 minutes and is open to anyone living in London (or who has lived here in the past three years). Take part in the Survey.

County Lines: Local Action and How You Can Help

You may be aware of the worrying increase in County Lines, where organised criminal networks coordinate the movement of illegal drugs from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries, usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs. The ‘County Line’ is the mobile phone line used to take the orders of drugs, and the areas where these drugs are being received are reporting increased levels of violence and weapons-related crimes as a result. We are pleased to have been made aware that in March, the Metropolitan Police took part in a national County Lines Intensification Week, delivering significant results across London, including 415 arrests, 85kg of Class A drugs seized, and 72 weapons recovered. In Sutton, activity has focused on prevention, enforcement and safeguarding; and officers have engaged with over 100 school children to raise awareness of the risks; taken two targeted days of action; addressed "cuckooing" (where a vulnerable person’s home is used as a base); and a passive drug dog operation at Sutton station leading to an arrest for possession with intent to supply Class A and B drugs.

The impact of County Lines extends beyond individuals—bringing violence, fear and instability into communities. Recognising the signs and reporting concerns is therefore critical, so if you are aware of this type of activity, please report it to the police on 101, online or in an emergency by ringing 999. Alternatively, please report to Crimestoppers which provides an anonymous reporting service and were you will also find further details.

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG): Local Developments

At the SNHW Committee Meeting on 18 March, Heather Smiles, our Domestic Abuse Lead, outlined emerging work on Sutton’s local approach to tackling violence against women and girls.

Following the recent launch of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy in Merton, Sutton is now developing its own approach, with a focus on long-term cultural change, early engagement with young people, and addressing online misogyny. The approach also recognises the link between anti-social behaviour and underlying patterns of abuse.

The strategy aims to place victims at the centre of services while maintaining a strong focus on perpetrators and prevention. Importantly, it acknowledges that while women and girls are disproportionately affected, support services must also remain accessible to male victims.

It was also noted that Adam French, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for Sutton, may attend a future committee meeting to provide further details on the borough’s plans.

Catalytic Converter Theft – Stay Vigilant

Catalytic converter theft remains a concern due to the high value of the metals contained within these devices. Offenders can remove a converter in under a minute, often targeting vehicles in car parks or residential areas. Hybrid vehicles are particularly at risk, although any vehicle may be targeted.

Residents should remain alert to warning signs such as vehicles being raised with a jack or the sound of cutting or drilling underneath a car.

We can all reduce the risks by:

• Installing approved locks or protective guards

• Parking in a garage or well-lit, overlooked area

• Registering and mark your converter with a forensic identifier

Please report suspicious activity immediately but please ensure you stay safe; note the details but do not approach suspects. The attached video link, whilst dated 2019, demonstrates how quickly these items can be stolen.

Parcel Theft – Practical Advice

Parcel theft continues to be a concern, particularly with increased online shopping. Items left unattended outside homes or in communal areas are especially vulnerable.

Residents can, however, take simple steps to reduce risk:

• Track deliveries to know when items will arrive

• Nominate a safe place, neighbour or collection point

• Provide delivery instructions to keep parcels out of sight

• Avoid leaving parcels in shared areas

• Install visible CCTV or doorbell cameras

• Collect parcels promptly

If a parcel goes missing, retain evidence such as order details and tracking information, and report it to your retailer, courier and police via 101 or online. Always call 999 if a theft is in progress.

Message from Superintendent Rich Lloyd-Ablitt and Police Update

“Hello everyone. Firstly, thank you all for being part of the Sutton Neighbourhood Watch. The work you all do, the sense of community you all bring to Sutton is incredible and helps keep our borough safe.

I wanted to talk to you briefly about Met Engage – some of you will already be aware of it and have signed up; to those of you that have, thank you. Met Engage was introduced by the MPS last year and is the way we now communicate with our communities. It is a two-way communication platform that enables us, as your Neighbourhood Policing team, to provide crime prevention advice, make you aware of any crime trends that may be occurring within your roads/wards as well as update you on wider information or operations that have taken place.

The platform enables those signed up to respond to any message and contact their Dedicated Ward Officers directly. This enables us to be more accessible and provides a way for you to let us know what you are seeing and hearing, as well as canvassing your opinions and experiences. Met Engage is not a mechanism for reporting crime, so please continue to use 999/101 and online reporting. For those of you not already signed up please take the time to join so that we can continue to work together to keep Sutton safe - www.metengage.co.uk. Thank you, Superintendent Rich Lloyd-Ablitt.”

March Activity and Arrests

Sutton officers have remained highly active this month, delivering results through targeted, intelligence-led operations. A total of 12 individuals have been arrested, with charges secured for more than 30 offences, including failing to appear at court, recall to prison, linked shoplifting and commercial robbery.

All those arrested have either been returned to custody or are due to attend court, reflecting a continued focus on reducing harm and protecting our communities.

While visible patrols remain important, much of this work is supported by covert activity based on local intelligence. This ensures resources are directed where they are most needed.

Community information is essential. If you have concerns, please report them via 101, online, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Mobile Phone Robberies: Gang Arrested in Sutton Following Investigation

Four members of an organised gang have been convicted after a Met investigation into a series of mobile phone shop robberies across London in 2025, culminating in arrests during an attempted robbery in Sutton.

Between May and June, the gang raided six stores, stealing tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of high-value devices, including £30,000 of phones in Woolwich, and using intimidation and violence against staff.

Detectives from the Met’s Flying Squad analysed CCTV, forensic evidence and phone data to identify those involved, before launching a surveillance operation. Officers intervened during an attempted robbery in Sutton and made arrests.

In total, ten individuals have now been convicted, including the ringleader. The operation forms part of a wider crackdown, with phone shop robberies down sharply since mid-2025 and mobile phone theft reduced by 10,000 offences in the past year.

Co-op SNHW Partnership – a Reminder

I hope that many of you have already voted for us, but if you haven’t, please choose us as your local Community Cause Here.

Thank you for your continued backing — it truly makes a difference.

Keep well, keep safe

Anna

on behalf of your committee

Sutton Neighbourhood Watch

www.SuttonNeighbourhoodWatch.co.uk