Police are calling for witnesses to the fatal stabbing, which occurred late on Sunday (7th March), at the top of High Street market after two people were seen running away from the scene of a murder towards Walthamstow bus station.

Police believe the two people were a white woman and a black man.

The dead man is described as in his late twenties to early thirties, black, wearing blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a black puffer jacket.

In response to local concerns Lib Dem High Street Councillor, Johar Khan, said:

“It saddens me that within 18 months of the tragic death of ‘CJ’ Hendricks we have  a second family mourning the loss of a loved one following the mindless knifing of this man over last weekend. 

“I cannot express more the need for witnesses to come forward to the police so as the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice swiftly. 

“My thoughts are with this poor man’s family.”

An incident room has opened under DCI Phil Rickells, from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or believes they may have information to identify the victim should call 8345 1570.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A massive Police enquiry is under-way following the discovery of a man with suspected stab wounds in Walthamstow Town square last night.

Paramedics attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene at about 2225 GMT.

Police said they they know his identity, but are not releasing it yet.

High Street Focus Team will post updates when received.

An alleyway leading from St James Street to Stephenson Road has been closed by police  following an incident in the early hours of this morning.

High Street Focus Team have been informed that two people were arrested in relation to the incident.

Teams of officers were seen scouring the alleyway and forensic officers comining and going from an address in Leucha Road.

High Street Lib Dem Councillors, James O’Rourke and Johar Khan said:

“The police are throughly investigating this matter and we are grateful they have kept us in the loop. As soon as we hear more we will update our website.”

High Street Focus Team have been advised that there are now two numbers to contact the Metropolitan Police:

In an emergency always call 999. An emergency is when a crime is happening, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, someone is injured, being threatened or in danger.

For example:

• If your house is being burgled (or the suspect is nearby) call 999
• If your car is being stolen (or the suspect is nearby) call 999

Call 0300 123 1212 when you need to report crime that is not an emergency.

For example:

• If your house has been burgled call 0300 123 1212
• If your car has been stolen call 0300 123 1212

The Council has agreed to introduce an Alcohol Restriction Zone (ARZ) as from the 10th November 2008. The ARZ is in response to public concern about anti-social  behaviour associated with street drinking in Walthamstow Town Centre and in particular in and around the Town Square.

The ARZ will provide a more consistent and longer-term solution to improve the quality for those who use the area, by giving the police powers to deal with anti-social drinking.

Welcoming the introduction of the ARZ Cllrs James O’Rourke and Johar Khan said: “The ARZ will benefit our local community, businesses and visitors to Walthamstow by providing Police powers that they currently do not have, to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder and allow us to reclaim Walthamstow Town Centre. Children and families will be more inclined to use local facilities, such as the Town Centre Park and open space and it will undoubtedly improve the image of one of the gateways to Waltham Forest.”

Click on map to see larger version.

Highly trained teams are hunting properties that are easy to break into – luckily they are police officers giving home security advice to absent minded residents. 

Waltham Forest’s police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and the Council’s community safety team have worked together to produce hundreds of cards which can be used to identify how a home is vulnerable to burglars. 

The Safer Neighbourhood Team officers patrol the borough until they spot a vacant home that could be easily broken into.

They fill in a card and post it through the letter box to advise the owner how to secure their property more effectively. 

Although burglary is down in Waltham Forest over the last year,research shows that most homes that are broken into during the summerare targeted because doors or windows are left open. 

The new scheme is a simple but effective way of tackling a very upsetting crime.

Each card has a number of tick boxes about problems like windows being left open. Police officers will tick the relevant box and post the card.  Residents are likely to be a bit surprised to find these cards lying on their doorstep, but it’s better than coming home to find you’ve been robbed by burglars. 

To find out more about home security ring the Council’s Community Safety Team on 020 8496 3000 or your Police Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8556 8855

Waltham Forest Council is declaring war on dog owners who persistently let their pets foul the borough and don’t bother cleaning up after them.

Street Wardens, Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams and enforcement officers will be patrolling the areas most affected by the issue, at the times most often visited by dog owners.

Anyone who is spotted failing to clean up after their animal will be asked to do so, and issued with a fixed penalty notice if they refuse.

Bags for dog owners will also be available at the Council’s Waltham Forest Direct shops.

 Waltham Forest Council’s spokesperson for Community Safety, Enforcement and Protection, said:

“Dogowners who refuse to clean up after their pets are exhibiting disgusting, anti social and hazardous behaviour towards other residents. “If you own a pet you need to take responsibility for its welfare and for cleaning up after it. People who are unwilling to do that, will be targeted and they will be punished.

It’s as simple as that. “We are sick of some dog owners using this borough as a toilet. We want to make Waltham Forest a place where people aspire to live and we won’t do that if people can’t be bothered to clean up after their pets.” 

To report dog fouling, contact Waltham Forest Direct on 020 84896 3000.

Residents can collect dog bags from WFD Shops in the following locations:

Leyton, 774-776 High Road; Walthamstow, 137 Hoe Street; Leytonstone, 819 High Road. 

Waltham Forest police have launched week-long Operations to tackle knife crime and disorder on the borough’s transport links.

The aim of the initiatives, which came just days after the British Crime Survey showed violent crime was dropping, is to tackle knife crime and offences on the tube, train and bus network.  Officers herded passengers through high tech knife arches to search for hidden weapons at Blackhorse Road and Leytonstone Tube Stations and made a number of arrests.These officers also offered crime prevention advice, tackled fare dodgers with Transport for London staff and mounted high visibility patrols at bus, tube and rail stations across the borough.

Chief Inspector Andy Norfolk from Waltham Forest Police, said: “Knife crime has gone down in this borough and has also dropped nationally but that doesn’t take away the impact it has on people’s lives.  “There are a small number of people who think it is acceptable to carry a knife and those people will be targeted and arrested.

“Tackling the problem of knife crime is a challenge and everyone has a part to play in rising to that challenge – parents, the police, the local authority and the media.”

Your local FOCUS team want tough action to be taken against those caught selling knives to children and young people. 

Figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats revealed that half of all traders tested in Waltham Forest had attempted to sell knives to underage buyers.  

The worrying statistics come on the back of nationwide figures for prosecutions which reveal that, in the last five years, not one person has been sent to prison for the illegal sale of knives to children.

 Cllr Johar Khan says that the stats reveal “a completely inadequate deterrent to unscrupulous shop keepers who flout the law to sell these weapons to children and young people,”  

Cllr Johar Khan added: 

“The number of local traders who are apparently prepared to sell knifes to young people is extremely worrying. 

  “Liberal Democrats will be calling for officers to carry out further test purchasing programmes in an effort to really drive this message home.” 

“We believe that further tests must be carried out and that the courts must take a much stronger stand on this issue. 

“Cutting the supply of knives will be one of the most effective ways to reducing knife crime in the first place.”  

Police are warning people to steer clear of illegal street gamblers around Walthamstow market.

The High Street Safer Neighbourhoods Ward Panel voted it one of the mainpriorities for police to tackle in the area earlier this year.

So far eight people have been arrested for street gambling and another person has been issued with an £80 Fixed Penalty Notice.

The Safer Neighbourhood Team is also busy gathering intelligence so it can issue Anti Social Behavior Orders against the gamblers.

Anyone with any information about the gamblers should visit the Police Market Office in the High Street, opposite the entrance to Selborne Walk, to talk to an officer 

Cllr Johar Khan says “ Lets work together to rid the High Street of crime”