Crime

Street-savvy youths from Spelthorne signed a petition pledging not to carry knives and presented it to Spelthorne MP, David Wilshire, at the House of Commons last week.

More than 5,000 young people signed the petition, 'Knives Wreck Lives' - organised by the Spelthorne Youth Council - which launched on October 27 and presented their pledges to their local MP on Tuesday, December 9.

A woman in her 20s managed to fight off a would-be bag snatcher in Staines by hitting him with her umbrella.

The victim was approached from behind by the man as she walked along the bridleway between Gresham Road and Knowle Green on Thursday December 3 between 4.35pm and 4.45pm.

Detectives in Spelthorne are appealing for witnesses following an assault in Staines High Street on Saturday December 6 at about 2am.

A 21-year-old man from Ashford was approached by the suspect, who punched him on the left side of his face before running off. The victim sustained minor swelling to his left cheek and a small cut on the inside of his left lip.

Detectives have issued an e-fit following the theft of cash and a mobile phone in a distraction burglary at the home of an elderly Staines couple.

A man called at the door of the property in Bremer Road saying he believed one of the fireworks he had set off for his daughter's birthday had gone into their garden.

Police are battling to reclaim two areas of Staines which they say have become hotbeds of drug-taking and drinking.

Police community support officers Deborah Tippetts and Adam Justice said they have found evidence of cannabis in the youth shelter in the playing field which runs alongside Commercial Road in Staines, and said that children had used the alleyway just off Kingston Road to smoke.

PCSO Tippetts said: "We get quite a lot of youths hanging around on the corner by the alleyway. We have caught quite a few kids smoking in there.

Yob behaviour could be nipped in the bud if parents were allowed to smack their children, according to Staines councillor Colin Davis.

Residents in Leacroft have been plagued by an increase in drug dealing and antisocial behaviour and Cllr Davis has advocated a return to corporal punishment to keep youngsters in line.

The number of burglaries in Spelthorne during October was up 82% on last year.

Fifty-one homes were burgled in the borough between October 6 and November 2 compared with just 28 last year.

Overall crime for the month also increased from 691 recorded offences in 2007 to 715 in 2008.

• Have you been affected by the increase? Leave your comments below or contact us on 01932 561111.

A family home in Staines was ransacked by burglars who stole about £1,000 of jewelery on Sunday September 28.

Thieves smashed the back window of the house in Homestead Road at some point between 6.30pm and 8.30pm before emptying drawers, suitcases and cupboards searching for swag.

A Staines pub has "wholeheartedly" apologised after its manager kicked two blind people out because they brought their guide dogs inside.

Darran Pridmore, 32, was out in Staines with his girlfriend, who is also partially blind and has a guide dog, on Sunday September 14 when they walked into The George in High Street.

Young rowers from Staines Boat Club are unable to train after vandals cut all the wires in the outboard motor of the club's safety launch.

The craft, which is used to monitor the juniors when they train, was moored outside the clubhouse in Riverside Drive, Staines.