A teenage gang threatened to stab a man before robbing him of his bag, wallet and mobile phone in a crime spree that continues to plague Highgate’s streets.
The victim was walking in The Park, Highgate, last Sunday night when four men pushed him to the ground, slapped him and made their threat. The gang then fled in the direction of Highgate Village according to safer neighbourhood officers’ monthly newsletter.
The robbery is one of seven to hit Highgate last month.
A gang of youths aged 16 to 20 threatened a man with a knife in Winchester Road on January 4 at 7.40pm. The suspects, dressed in black, pushed him and snatched an iPhone 6s and two bank cards after ordering him to empty his pockets. Fifteen minutes later the same gang punched another victim as he tried to escape after the gang took his coat, bank card and phone in Milton Park, the newsletter states.
A fourth victim was walking in Langdon Park Road when six teens aged 17 to 19-years-old threatened him, taking his phone and bank cards at about 7pm.
A fifth victim narrowly escaped a week later after five men pushed and threatened him in Archway Road. The gang fled after a member of the public stepped in.
Highgate resident Kirat Nandra said crime was becoming more violent and frightening.
“Not enough is being done to stop our streets being ruled by thugs. Moped crime has been replaced by youths on foot intimidating others with weapons and the threat of violence.
“It is a huge concern. How and when will this end?” she added.
In a sixth incident near The Woodman pub a man disturbed three suspects trying to steal his bike. They threatened to stab him before another member of the public intervened.
The attacks follow the mugging of a schoolboy as he waited for a bus in Hampstead Lane on January 24. He handed over his phone after two youths aged 16 to 20 with faces covered threatened him saying they had a weapon.
Neighbourhood watch coordinator Cindy Jackson said: “Everyone in Highgate needs to be made aware the streets are no longer safe to walk, even in daylight hours. The police are doing their best, in spite of the continuing cuts they suffer which put us all in danger.”
She urged people to write to their MPs to demand the government reinstate police funding to keep everyone safe.
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