Women's shock at violent bus stop attacks in Muswell Hill
Shoppers watched in horror as two innocent women were attacked at a bus stop during a terrifying robbery.
Police have issued emergency warnings to pedestrians in Muswell Hill after the incident happened last Friday.
The robbery followed a similar assault on a teenager just one week before, although the two are not connected.
The first attack took place on Friday (December 5), at about 7.15pm when a 63-year-old woman was dragged into a busy road, after she refused to give the young male suspect a lighter.
He then ran towards a 24-year-old woman who also waiting at the bus stop in Coppetts Road and began to drag her into the road, eventually grabbing her handbag and running off, chased by members of the public.
DS Shaun Carre Brown of Haringey's robbery squad said: "The suspect used an unacceptable amount of force and both women have been left very distressed by the incident."
A week earlier, on Friday November 28 at about 11pm, a 19-year-old man was chased down Goodwyns Vale by a violent gang of six men who kicked him to the ground and stamped on him.
The victim, whose mobile phone was stolen, suffered cuts to his head and face and a black eye.
In the last 12 months, there have been almost seven robberies per 1,000 of the population in Muswell Hill, above the Haringey average (5.6) and London (4.4).
And the two most recent attacks have prompted fears among local residents.
John Hajdu, chairman of the Muswell Hill and Fortis Green Association, said: "I'm concerned that such a thing happened in our area. I will be having an urgent meeting with the Safer Neighbourhoods sergeant to discuss what action we can take in the short and long term to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"We will alert people to what's going on and ask them to look out for any trouble."
John Wade, 63, a resident in Coppetts Road, was assaulted by a dog walker in September when he confronted him about the dog fouling in his garden.
"I asked him to move the dog and he refused and started pushing me," Mr Wade said. "It was very aggressive and I was shocked. Muswell Hill is not exactly a hot spot of aggravation so it shocked me. It seems to me that as the economy turns down, crime will rise."
Elizabeth Cuthbertson, a resident in Cranley Gardens, said: "I'm shocked. I've always felt safe in the area, that's one of the reasons I like it but now I'm going to take more care and try to stay inconspicuous."
Anyone with information on either of these incidents is asked to contact Haringey's Robbery Squad on 020-8345 0870 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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