Newly formed Old North neighbourhood group calls for action against property crimes

Old North residents will host an upcoming town hall meeting with London police to discuss an uptick in crime in the neighbourhood. Bryan Bicknell reports.

With its stately homes, well kept streets, and tree-lined boulevards, Old North is not the first London, Ont. neighbourhood one thinks of when it comes to crime.

But at least one resident says the frustration is real.

“I mean, I’ve been a victim twice. You go out to your car, or walk to your driveway, and your trailer’s been stolen out of the driveway,” exclaimed Wayne Hissong.

Hissong is part of the Old North Community Safety Project. Formed late last year, it’s an effort to bring neighbours together with police to address what he says is a growing concern over property crimes in the neighbourhood.

“Burglaries of automobiles, breaking out windows to take items out of cars. We started talking with people and finding everybody had this common issue with property crime in the area, as well as packages being stolen out of porches was happening a lot,” said Hissong.

The group is hosting a town hall meeting with community leaders and police. It’s scheduled for next Tuesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m., at New St. James Presbyterian Church, Oxford and Wellington.

Hissong says it’s an opportunity to discuss the issues.

“Many of the citizens of Old North have reached a level to where they’ve done all they can on their own. What we are asking for, and what we call a ‘call to action,’ is just to see more police presence and a stronger partnership between citizens of Old North and the London Police Services,” he said.