Wood Green Shopping City, Boots, others count losses...run into millions of pounds!
Vigilance can authoritatively report that following the violent disorder in Tottenham, North London last night, leading to looting of shops and torching of some buildings, the Metropolitan Police Service has launched a major investigation team -codenamed 'Operation Withern'.
Vigilance can also report that the team is being led by Detective Superintendent John Sweeney, and it is made up of detectives from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, specialist investigators from the Public Order Branch and police support staff.
It is believed the team is currently dealing with the 48 people who were arrested during the course of the disorder.
It is said Officers are in the process of reviewing hours of CCTV and taking witness statements. There is a primary crime scene that runs from Monument Way to Lansdowne Road. Detectives are on the scene scoping out the number of buildings and businesses broken into and damaged. This will take some time, and we cannot currently estimate how long.
Vigilance learnt that Forensic examiners will slowly and painstakingly work their way through this crime scene seeking to retrieve as much evidence as possible. We thank the local community for their continued patience and apologise for the inconvience caused, but processing this crime scene properly is of the utmost importance to our investigation.
In a statement to the media today at 15:00 hour, Commander Adrian Hanstock, said: "If you have been a victim of crime during the disorder please go to your local police station and let them know, we want to hear from you. Detectives from Operation Withern will then be in touch with you to make sure that the crime is investigated."
"Anyone who has any information about those responsible for these offences that rocked the heart of the local community please get in touch with us. The disorder and violence we saw last night was pure criminality and cannot be justified. We are determined to arrest those responsible, Cdr Hanstock pleaded.
Any member of the public wishing to report the Tottenham madness, the Met advised: "If you know of anyone who was involved or may be planning a repeat of the scenes we saw last night, please let us know. Any information can be passed to police anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Cdr Hanstock disclosed to the press: "We are aware of various reports on social media networks of further disorder being planned and any intelligence will be assessed and actioned. A policing operation is in place across London and local officers are on the streets in Tottenham."
Total number of arrests so far:
The Met statement to the press reads: "FOR CLARIFICATION: Total number of arrests is 48. There have been no new arrests, but the rise from 42 to 48 is because the Investigation Team has now collated the exact details from the numerous custody suites in London."
While the police comb the streets to track down the hoodlums, the popular Wood Green Shopping City in North London is writhing with pain due to losses it has suffered following the vandalization of some mega retails shops whoses losses ran into millions of pounds, with the entire shopping City closing its doors to customers throughout today.
Shops like Boots suffered the most losses that ran to thousands of pounds (figure yet to be quantified, but the Store Manager who would not like his name to be mentioned gave a conservative estimate as over £750, 000.00 ) with the whole of its perfumery vandalised and ransacked.
A source at Boots, Wood Green said the whole money for previous day's sales were stolen from the tills by the thugs.