Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
paving stones stolen from Lothair Road North this afternoon (23 July)
About four large paving stones have been dug up from the pavement on Lothair Road North, leaving a gaping and very dangerous hole. It seems clear this is not "official" but the work of thieves.
It is just near the junction with Venetia Road, outside the side garden wall of number 13 Venetia Road which is the end of terrace house. I had a chat with the lady who lives there. She said the paving stones had been removed during the afternoon today, as the pavement outside her house was intact this morning. She also showed me that the same thing had happened a little bit further up Lothair Road North, nearer the junction with Tancred Road. Quite a few paving stones had been removed there. The council and the police had been informed and a temporary repair had been done.
I have reported this to the council's pavements team. It looks like an organised gang are in action, so we need to be vigilant.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Protheroe O'Shea on
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God what shame. I do hope they replace like for like but somehow I doubt it.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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The paving stones have only just been nicked and yet the augurs, oracles and soothsayers of Tunbridge Wells have already seen the council's inadequate future response. Astonishing. Incredible.
Can you please look in your crystal balls and tell the police which roads will be targeted next?
P.S. Judging by Lucy's photo it looks like the whole of Lothair Road has been stolen and replaced by a blue bay.
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I'm guessing this is your sense of humour again Alan. To be fair I was not very clear in my original post so am open to ridicule.
I assume Lucy is talking about the lovely York stone slabs that run between Venetia and Tancred. Original York stone slabs the size of the ones taken from Lothair are at a conservative estimate about £100-£150 a slab.
About a year ago an original cast iron bollard was stolen from Lothair South. When I notified the council of this I enquired whether or not they would replace it like for like or with a reproduction. I was told there was not enough money to do anything. Two days later the hole that was once a lovely Victorian cast iron bollard was filled with concrete. A year on and the council have kept to their word (although they have replaced the concrete as it crumbled). That is why I assume, and I do hope incorrectly, there will be no like for like replacement of the york stone in Lothair North. I am not saying the council are inadequate. But I am saying they are skint. Honest.
Regarding what roads or perhaps passage will be hit next? Here be my prediction. Anywhere there be York stone.
Astonishing? Incredible? Balls? Meah.
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It was my attempt at humour. To me at least your post read like a gloomy prediction that the council was bound to be inadequate. Apologies for getting this completely wrong. And please let me also try to make amends by reframing the problem as you have suggested.
From what I'm hearing from you and other people we seem to have an increase in certain types of theft - of what might be called something like 'public goods'. Examples include the world-wide increase in metal theft following the rising price of scrap metal. This includes drain covers in Poland and a ten ton footbridge in the Czech Republic.
You probably know this already, TW, though I didn't until I read your post. There's also a surge in thefts of stone - including York stone. According to the Daily Telegraph this is due to the high costs of quarrying.
I'm sure that the Police have some practical suggestions. As will local councils all over the UK who have been hit by the problem. But it seems to me your approach is a key part of any prevention/ detection strategy. Which is to value what we have as our public property. And therefore to keep an eye on it; and to report incidents of theft. (And possibly take a quick snap of the people doing it. Who may be wearing high viz vests and look completely "official".)
Maybe you or other people have more helpful ideas or experience from other boroughs or cities.
P.S. I'm also curious about the insurance position. Was no claim possible on the "lovely Victorian cast iron bollard"?
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Don't worry Alan I still love you. talking about bridges it seams the country of my wife birth has a similar problem. Perhaps its the same gang who did Lothair? I think we should look on the positive side maybe they'll nick the Grainger development
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By the way, before any one crucifies me, the Guardian article I linked does not mean I am seriously pointing the finger at any ethnic group. I was joking when I said it could be the same people. Phew!
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It's essential that we have serious discussions with and about the Roma community here.
My partner Zena Brabazon is currently in the Czech Republic for a few days, including meeting people from the Roma community who are engaged in those discussions with fellow Czechs. (Just to be clear, it's not a council funded visit.)
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Just had a phone call from the LBoH Neighbourhood Action Team. it appears that the tarmac is here to stay as it is too expensive to repair like for like and LBoH are worried that the stones will just be stolen again! If that's their mentality why not just lift every York stone in the borough and replace it for tarmac.
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Not quite like for like
- Attachments:
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20120727_144056.jpg, 3.2 MB
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and another
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20120727_144031.jpg, 3.5 MB
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Re-direct the effing thieves to Effingham Road.
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