Police in Richmond have announced a series of extra foot patrols amid reports of violence and thefts.

Residents in the town centre and surrounding streets can expect to see a greater police presence over the next few weeks.

The decision was announced on Twitter and relates to the South Richmond Safer Neighbourhood team, who cover Richmond Green, the Riverside, town centre and many of the streets on Richmond Hill.

The Police said: "South Richmond Officers are conducting extra foot patrols with in Richmond over the next few weeks.

"These are to combat a spread of issues including Theft From Vehicles and Violent Offences."

Richmond no longer has its own police station after the building was closed in 2017. It was sold off and turned into flats and a pizza restaurant under a scheme promoted by Boris Johnson when he was the London mayor.

The local MPs, Sarah Olney and Munira Wilson, and Council leaders have lobbied the Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan, to boost officer numbers in the borough against the background of rising violence, including attacks on teens and the murder of a student at Richmond College.

The situation became so serious during the pandemic that residents in some areas investigated bringing in private security patrols offered by companies such as MyLocalBobby.

The Richmond Society has published a manifesto which, among other things, calls for the establishment of a permanent police base in central Richmond 'to ensure people can live in safety and security'.

At the same time, one local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator set up a petition calling for a return of a permanent police station amid concerns the area and its residents are seen by criminals as a 'soft touch'.

This week, police in Kew sounded the alarm over a number of thefts from cars.

They said: "There is currently an influx of theft from motor vehicles within the Kew area. We are continuing to conduct proactive patrols of the hotspot areas. Please ensure that you take all valuables with you."

It identified the hotspots as Princess Road, Kew Retail Park, and Burlington Avenue.