Following reports of regular crime and anti-social behaviour in and around Market Square in Waltham Abbey, the Guardian asked people in the town for their views on the causes and possible solutions.

 

 “Everyone knows a crime that has been commited against them or someone close. My neighbour and I both got broken into last month.

“It takes too long for police to arrive here and then nothing ever gets solved.

“I have no idea what is happening with the police station. They have turned it into an idle coffee- making and training facility.”

Vernon Gertner, 65, of Mason Way.

 

“I love Waltham Abbey but I moved from the area a couple of months ago. People do not feel safe at night. It all went downhill around the time the police station closed.

"Girls and boys hang around the town in a menacing manner and people are frightened to even walk their dogs at night.

"But not me, I am 80 years old and nothing frightens me.”

Shelia Peacock, 80, of Highgate.

 

"I have lived here for five years and I have never seen a police officer, not ever. I live on a small road and don’t use the town's facilities at night.

"Funnily enough I only see traffic wardens who come around rather regularly."

Alexander Smith, 80, of Monkswood Avenue.

 

“I have seen police walking around and it is nice to know they are there.

“My family have been really worried after the police station closed down. The police have so much further to come now and it makes it impossible to catch criminals.”

Ben Wreford, 16, of Orchard Gardens.

 

“You only see trouble during the night. During the day it is quiet, there are no customers, nevermind fights.

“I don’t come down here at night. In fact I avoid the area altogether.  There are too many plonkers who want to drink and fight.

“If we did not have shutters here our windows would definitely be put through.”

Dean Russell, 46, a butcher at Mr Johns in Sun Street.

 

“I would love extra police officers it would make the place seem busy. We used to see them all the time when the station was open, getting their lunch.

“Cafe’s have become easy targets for criminals. I have seen the one next door with their windows smashed in. Police didn't even come to pick up the CCTV footage.

“I would like public CCTV from the council throughout Waltham Abbey to act as a real deterrent.”

Chris Fordham, 47, owner of Lynn’s Florist on Sun Street.

 

For more on this story, see this week’s Guardian – out Thursday