‘Smash and grab’ fears at store car park

EALING residents have voiced their concerns over a supermarket car park which they claim has become the epicentre of “smash and grab” thefts.

The Tesco car park at the Hoover Building has allegedly become a crime hotspot, with reports of bike-riding thieves smashing car windows. One man, explaining what he had seen over the last year, said the thefts were giving him “no choice but to leave the area”.

The alleged crimes have supposedly been going on for more than a year and residents said they think it is often the same people “smash and grabbing” cars. They also said they were trying desperately to identify the men they recognised, but because they were often “gone in a flash” it was hard.

One local man, Nicholas, said: “For the last year solid, Hoover Building has been a target for cars getting broken into. It’s the same people who travel on bike and smash any car windows they can, which they feel will yield a pay day. The same scumbags are doing it over and over, no one is taking it seriously. This area is so bad for me now I am looking to get my family out at the first chance I get.”

Another woman joined the community group in complaining about the thefts. Kerry said: “My father got broken into at the same car park about four months ago and we are still waiting for someone to be arrested”. This was followed by another man, who posted: “Stopped parking my car here after seeing the thefts for myself”.

A spokesman for Tesco said: “We’re sorry to hear about this. We take security in our car parks very seriously and will always work together with the police to support any criminal investigation and prevention measures.”