Richmond Council Leader Gareth Roberts has spoken out about policing and community safety following the recent robbery at Gregory & Co jewellers in Richmond town centre.

Writing on Richmond & Twickenham Times, Cllr Roberts said it can be "all too easy to forget" that Richmond upon Thames is part of London.

However, he said that sense of tranquillity was "jarringly" disrupted just over a week ago when masked men armed with a sledgehammer targeted the long-established jewellers on 31 January.

The robbery saw suspects smash through the shop window before fleeing towards a waiting vehicle on Richmond Green.

Cllr Roberts acknowledged that such incidents remain rare and that Richmond is statistically London's safest borough. However, he said crimes of this nature can heighten fear within the community.

"It is completely understandable that when people see crimes being committed by perpetrators who appear to have very little fear of getting caught they wonder whether they will be a victim of crime themselves," he said.

He added that while the likelihood of being a victim of crime remains low, that offers little comfort to those directly affected.

The council leader also questioned recent changes within the Met Police, including the disbanding of the Royal Parks Police, the withdrawal of school officers and safer transport officers, and the planned closure of Twickenham Police Station's front counter.

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"At a time when the fear of crime is on the increase it seems perverse to be removing some of the most visible signs that an area is policed," he said.

Cllr Roberts said the Mayor of London has described the changes as part of a return to neighbourhood policing, but he warned it may take time before residents see an increase in officer numbers locally.

He stressed that he remains supportive of local frontline officers, praising the work they do despite what he described as reduced resources.

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