| News
& Community Local news-July E: [email protected] |
| Slight
rise in Tower Hamlets crime rate. Sex crimes slashed by half - 25/07/01 |
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Recorded crime in Tower Hamlets rose slightly in
the past year according to the Metropolitan Police. However, there
is good news in the fact that sex crime has been dramatically reduced.
The crime rate rose in the borough by just 1.4 per cent between
April 2000 and may this year.
Robbery recorded the largest increase of 37 per
cent, forgery and fraud has risen by 11 per cent and violence against
the person has risen by seven per cent. Sexual offence have dropped
in the borough by a massive 41 per cent and handling of stolen goods
is down by 4.6 per cent and other offences such as common assault
and theft are down by 2.2 per cent.
Across the capital overall crime has decreased
by 2.2 per cent; the major success was in tackling the problem of
domestic burglary which fell by nine per cent. Tower Hamlets has
one of the worst crime rates in London. Chair of the Metropolitan
Police Authority Toby Harris welcomed the fall in the total number
of offences committed but said there was much more work that needed
to be done in the reduction of robbery, violence and detection rates.
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| Mariah
pops into Brick Lane for bagel fix - 17/07/01 |
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R'n'B honey Mariah Carey
was spotted last Friday night nipping into the 24-hour bagel bar in
Brick lane to see how they compared with the buns in her native New
York. The star-who is reported to prefer smoked salmon and cream cheese-
demanded to be taken to the Tower Hamlets institution, much to the
chagrin of her security entourage. The big-hearted star- in England
to promote her new album, single and film-needed nourishment after
holding a 'fans only' party at the state-of-the-art Ocean music venue
in Hackney. |
| Brick
Lane's 'Methuselah Moggie' dies at 31 - 10/07/01 |
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The World's oldest cat,
a British ginger and white tom called Spike, has died two months after
his 31st birthday. He passed away in the arms of his owner Mo Elkington
after suffering a stroke. She bought the cat in Brick Lane market
for half a crown (13p) in 1970. An upset Mrs Elkington said: "he had
a long innings and passed away peacefully but we are very sorry to
see him go." The Dorset aromatherapist attributes Spike's longevity
to a daily dose of aloe vera gel. |
| Tower
Hamlets' fire starters top poll-05/07/01 |
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Official figures have revealed that
the borough of Tower Hamlets is a hotspot for arsonists and hoax
callers. Fire-related crimes figures have put Tower Hamlets at the
top of the list for outdoor fires and second highest for property
blazes and malicious phone calls.
A police crackdown is now underway
to combat the problems that are effectively costing lives. Arson
in the borough is getting worse and costing millions of pounds a
year. Now we need to start looking at ways we're going to reduce
it." said the Brigade's Tower hamlets Group Commander, Nigel Hall.
Fire related crime is linked to poverty and the usual suspects fall
into certain categories, those holding grudges, bored youths, the
mentally ill and council tenants wanting to be re-housed, Hall explained.
Areas singled out include the Tower
Hamlets ward of Bromley, with the most property fires, car fires
and the third highest number of outdoor fires in the borough. Shadwell
and Spitalfields came joint second in property fires with 20 each
and Landsbury had the most outdoor fires in the borough at 152.
Firestarters targeted 13 schools across Tower Hamlets and hoax calls
were most rife in Spitalfields with 69 malicious false alarms. Of
30,000 fires in the capital, 62 per cent of those dealt with by
the brigade were started deliberately.
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| Wannabe
Rippers audition for role - 03/07/01 |
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Hopeful Jack the Rippers are auditioning for a starring
role as the killer at a tourist attraction.The winner will guide
visitors through the London Dungeon's "Ripper Rampage" show.
Jack the Ripper murdered and butchered a number
of prostitutes in the East End of London between August and November
1888.Despite a massive police hunt he was never caught.
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