Are we truly safe? If you think the answer is yes, think again... After finding out that in the past year 3 bikes have been stolen from the same person, it may come into question on how secure we really feel and if the local police are achieving actual results in bringing down the crime rate of East London.
I interviewed Deepali Chhabra, 13, Resident of Wanstead to find out more..

So tell me around what time these bikes were stolen?
One was stolen last year in November, then in February and just recently I had my bike stolen near the end of October.

Tell me more about each of the events as it must have been traumatizing..
Well, on the first incident I was just riding my bike down my street when I saw a gang of older boys approaching. I didn’t think they would cross the road so I continued; however I saw that they started coming towards me. They surrounded me in a circle and pushed me off the bike, I had grazed my elbow and knee and before I could get up, they had ridden away on my bike.

That sounds awful, did the police offer help?
I called my parents asap, the police took me in their car asking if I could identify anyone in the nearby area. I couldn’t see anyone from the group but later on I did receive a call saying they may have found my bike. I didn’t have any further contact so I presumed that the bike they found was not mine.

This sounds very disturbing, did the same happen on the other occasions?
On the second occasion, I had left my bike locked on Wanstead High Street. I went to meet my friends in Starbucks and in half an hour I was back. I was searching for bike to go home but it wasn’t anywhere to be seen and I saw my lock broken lying on the floor. I guess the moral of the story is... get a strong lock!

Have you questioned how secure you really feel?
I do at times, and I guess I’ve given up on buying anymore bikes! I guess the people who steal the bikes sell them for money and I guess in one form or another it’s charity. It really helps to discuss how you feel with a friend and to know that it isn’t your fault.