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Rising crime instills unease in community

Four+students+were+mugged+near+campus+Oct.+27%2C+Oct.+28+and+Oct.+29.+In+response%2C+Head+of+School+Coreen+Hester+and+Director+of+Operations+Jim+Heynderickx+outlined+precautions+students+should+take+when+walking+outside+to+ensure+safety.
Ella Friel
Four students were mugged near campus Oct. 27, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29. In response, Head of School Coreen Hester and Director of Operations Jim Heynderickx outlined precautions students should take when walking outside to ensure safety.

Four muggings recently occurred near campus involving students in the Middle School and High School, according to an email sent to the community by Head of School Coreen Hester and Director of Operations Jim Heynderickx Oct. 28 and 31, respectively. The muggings took place Oct. 27, Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, with one involving a knife.

Head of School Coreen Hester said these muggings are “distressing” and that many crimes involving students follow a pattern. 

“Most of [the crimes] are pretty similar, where a student is approached by two or three strangers and most of the time it’s verbal intimidation,” she said.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned citizens about the potential rise in crime following the cost of living crisis Aug. 22, according to The Guardian.

Most of [the crimes] are pretty similar, where a student is approached by two or three strangers and most of the time it’s verbal intimidation.

— Head of School Coreen Hester

The rise in crime, which is linked to youth and gangs, has been attributed to the recent increase in poverty, per The Guardian. According to the Metropolitan Police database, there have been 967,627 criminal offenses in the past year as of Oct. 5, which is a 10% increase compared to previous years.

Head of Security Roi Yefet said most crimes committed in London at large are minor and typically correlated with gang violence. 

“It’s mostly petty crimes, and opportunistic, but there’s no severe crimes of assault or stabbing,” he said. “Of course, once in a while, we can hear stabbing on the radio or we can read about it but it’s more gang-related.”

According to Crime Rate, the most common crime in London is characterized as antisocial behavior, which includes hate crimes, harassment and vandalism. 

Sam Singer (’23) said the pandemic may have increased the frequency of crime and thus, has impacted his daily life.

“I was chased in Maida Vale and it wasn’t a particularly scary experience but it was definitely eye-opening to crime and the aspect of mugging in the city,” he said. “I am now a lot more careful and aware when I go out alone.”

Hester said it is common for individuals to feel safe in a city they live in because some “can be lulled into thinking because [the city] is familiar, it may not pose a threat or a danger.” 

Furthermore, after running the Notting Hill Carnival for 36 years, the Metropolitan Police claimed that they no longer want to be in charge of the event due to the crimes committed over the two-day period, per The Telegraph.

Hester said in the case of a mugging or attack, whether it be verbal or physical, people should avoid responding with verbal or physical violence as criminals likely just want belongings.

“You don’t want to fight it because most of the time it’s really a crime about property, not people,” she said.

You don’t want to fight it because most of the time it’s really a crime about property, not people.

— Head of School Coreen Hester

Further, Yefet said it is important for students to keep valuables out of sight and remain cognizant when in public.

“Be aware of your surroundings when you’re leaving school, don’t touch your phone, your headphones you know, all these things, put it in your bag, valuable items that can attract someone to engage with you,” he said. “Always choose well-lit roads, especially for the winter.”

Evelyn Snizek (‘23) said it is important to remember that all are equally susceptible to crime.

“Be aware of your surroundings and know that it’s not all about you,” she said. “So, don’t walk through the streets thinking you own them or thinking that you’re invincible because you’re not.”

In addition, Hester said it is crucial to avoid becoming “so lost in your social occasion that you forget to have a lens to look around you.”

Ultimately, Hester said it is imperative to recognize the dangers that coincide with living in a major city.

“It does remind us in a really concrete way that we live in a big city,” she said. “So it’s not as if we’re living in some bucolic country town. I think it would be unrealistic, frankly, for us to forget that we live in a big city.”

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About the Contributor
Ella Friel, Opinions Editor: Print
Ella Friel (’25) is the Opinions Editor: Print for The Standard. She began journalism in Grade 9 when she joined the paper as a staff writer and has enjoyed being able to write stories and express her opinions on the publication ever since. Outside of the newsroom, Friel is a member of the Community Action Council and enjoys spending her time volunteering and playing tennis.

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