Boaters in fear at four knife attacks
There have been four attacks with walkers robbed by thugs armed with knives over three days just before Christmas, with boaters now in fear of walking the towpath, Roger Fox tells us.
Slash wound
On Wednesday, 21st December 21, shortly after 10pm, a man aged in his 20s suffered a slash wound to the hand after he was mugged of his phone and wallet by at least two suspects on the towpath next to Parnell Road Bridge, the Evening Standard reported.
Christina Kime, 26, told the that she and her close friend Drew McEwan, 30, were violently robbed at 10.30pm on 22nd December.
Other robberies
Miss Kime and Mr McEwan, told of their ordeal as police confirmed two other robberies involving a knife and at least two male suspects took place in the area over three days.
Then on the 23rd December a man reported to the police that he had been robbed at knife-point having two phones and a wallet stolen by a pair of male suspects in the Olympic Park.
Too afraid to go on towpath
Boater Greg Keegan, told the Evening Standard that the robberies had left the community feeling too afraid to go out on the towpath after dark, explaining:
"Everyone is feeling very anxious about it. There is a feeling of anxiety in the Hackney Wick area and the boating community.
"Every single night there have been reports of a mugging posted on social media. It has brought the Hackney Wick community together trying to tackle this."