Haringey Lib Dems - "don't leave doors unlocked just yet!"

2.34.00pm GMT Mon 21st Aug 2006

Reacting to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's recent comments that London is now safe enough to leave doors unlocked, Haringey's Lib Dems are urging caution.

As the Times reported this week, the Met chief's comments followed a visit to a Haringey tower block. "How long is it since police patrolled the corridors of a tower block?" Sir Ian asked.

"It's as if, when the slums they replaced were flattened, the police stopped patrolling. People are opening their doors, leaving their doors open now, or leaving them unlocked, certainly, in a way they haven't done for 25 years."

Haringey's Liberal Democrats are urging residents not to take the Met chief seriously in this case. Lib Dem spokesperson for Crime, Policing and Community Safety, Councillor Ron Aitken, comments: "While we very much welcome the enormous benefits of the community policing that the Safer Neighbourhood Teams bring to the borough, it is too early to be nostalgic about home security.

There were 3782 burglaries in the last year in Haringey. People should still take plenty of precautions to secure their home, and I know that local police agree."

ENDS

Notes to editors: The Times article reporting on Sir Ian Blair's comments can be found here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2321643,00.html