Gangs losing parking meter war

by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
11/12/2007

A spate of thefts from Hammersmith and Fulham’s pay and display machines has been stopped in its tracks thanks to joint action by Police and council officers.

Detectives blame Eastern European gangs who initially stole entire machines to examine the best way to break them open. Once they had worked out how to force entry into the roadside meters Hammersmith & Fulham had an average of about 40 break-ins a year. But worryingly there was a huge escalation last September to more than 15 a week. Eight were broken into on one evening alone.

But now a new early warning system linked to a 24/7 council control room and speedy Police response times means the authorities are winning the battle against the gangs. Arrests have been made and vehicles and vital evidence seized. 

Cllr Greg Smith, Hammersmith & Fulham Council Cabinet Member for Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour, says, “Our 24/7 control room and excellent relationship with the local Police mean we are now winning the war against these gangs. When they steal from the parking meters they are stealing taxpayers’ cash and ultimately we all pay the price if we don’t beat them.”

Whilst some councils spend up to £400 on re-enforcing their machines, there is no guarantee that the gangs will not find a new way of breaking them open. And with more than 1100 machines in Hammersmith & Fulham it was simply not value for money. Instead H&F have gone for a zero-tolerance approach – an approach which is now paying dividends.

Cllr Smith concludes, “I know some other boroughs are suffering the same problems we have had here. For us the answer was relatively simple – by using intelligence systems to trace the ringleaders and working side-by-side with the Police on enforcing the law we have reduced these thefts to virtually zero.”