Wirral Asian Association
residents' called a meeting to ask Merseyside Police to do more to protect them
against alleged 'target burglaries'
A British Asian community in Merseyside
says they fear for violent in their own
homes and urge police to protect them against alleged targeted burglaries.Wirral
Asian Association (WAA) residents called a
community meeting following a spate of burglaries allegedly targeting Asian
family homes.
The association claims Asian families are
being targeted because thieves presume they have a high quantity of gold,
jewellery and cash at their properties.
Venkat Srinivasan, chair of WAA, said: “We
feel vulnerable in our own homes and in our communities.
“Our homes are being systematically
targeted by thieves - we’re worried about violent attacks in our homes.”
An online petition was set up calling on
police action and appropriate protection against further crime - and has
received more than 160-signatures including Wirral West Labour MP Margaret
Greenwood who attended the meeting.
The WAA chair called a meeting in reaction
to burglaries in the community and Friday evening’s meeting at Birkenhead’s
Multicultural Centre was attended by dozens of concerned residents.
Fearful residents say they want police to
do more to protect them against what they believe is Asian-targeted crime.
But Wirral’s police commander, John Martin,
told the audience that jewellery and cash crime is not isolated to the Wirral
area or confined to ethnicity.
In 2015, the police commander told
residents there were 700 burglaries across the Wirral, with seven targeted at
Asian households.
Commander Martin said: “This is a problem
that goes beyond ethnic origin boundaries.”
He pledged to step-up patrol presence in
“hot spot” target areas and reassured residents that Merseyside Police are
treating the matter seriously.
But Commander Martin said: “It’s not
endemic and it won’t happen to everyone. This is a problem we can get a grip
of.” Immediately
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