Revealed: The frightening number of raids on Croydon bookies

By Matt Johnson

matt.johnson@essnmedia.co.uk

A CROYDON bookmakers is raided every other week the Advertiser can reveal.

In the last 12 months there have been 26 robberies or attempted robberies at bookies in the borough.

The figures came to light after a Croydon cashier, who has been held up herself, complained that such robberies are "two a penny."

She wishes to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, but says countless armed raids happen in the borough that the public never hear about.

She also accused betting shop bosses of being lax on security measures, putting staff at risk.

The woman was confronted by a man armed with what she thinks was a gun earlier this year.

Recounting the incident to the Advertiser, she said: "He just came in all wrapped up.

"He threatened us with a gun in a sock. He came to the counter. Me and a colleague had already cashed up and he got a few hundred pounds in notes.

"You don't know what kind of weapon it is and if it's waved around at you then you don't ask questions.

"For all I know it could have been a real gun."

The woman had worked at the town centre bookies for just over a year when the terrifying incident occurred.

"They're happening all the time," she said.

"You don't hear about them but bookies robberies are two a penny. They're so frequent that people don't hear about them.

"The police are great. They tell us to lock the doors after 8pm but we're not allowed to.

"That's policy and it's pretty standard for all bookies."

The figure of 26 robberies or attempted robberies was revealed by Croydon police.

Despite this, the betting companies say they are not being lax on security.

Andrew Lyman, senior executive of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB), said: " Betting shop robbery is one of the things at the top of our agenda on behalf of our members.

"We already supply good practice advice on our website for members and we're currently cooperating with the Met Flying Squad who have principal responsibility for betting shop robberies.

"We are also about to start an initiative between the Met and the ABB called Betguard which involves crime prevention officers together with our security staff attending betting shops and giving crime prevention advice.

"Betting shop robberies are an ever present risk. Obviously we are looking at ways of reducing risk all the time."