A HOMEOWNER determined to make his neighbourhood safer collected hundreds of signatures in a campaign for a CCTV system.

‘Mr Wray’ – who asked not to be named in full – has lived in Pinkwell Avenue, Hayes, for 30 years.

He visited all the homes in the 20 streets surrounding his, widely known as the Pinkwell Estate, and got them to jot down their experiences as victims of crimes and their outlook on their neighbourhood.

Burglaries, vandalism and drug dealing are recurring themes in the bundles of written accounts, more than 700 in total, collected by Mr Wray over the past five years, in a bid to have cameras installed.

Mr Wray, who has also written to 10 Downing Street about the issues, said: “Five neighbours in the past few years have moved away because of the problems.

“One in three people I spoke to have been burgled.

“I have been burgled twice and have caught people in the act on my own cameras.

“It was once a nice, quiet area, but not any more. There are a lot of elderly people around here who are afraid.

“I’ve been doing this all on my own.

“The police and the council don’t seem to have records, but everyone I have spoken to has their own stories.

“I will be gone within a year because I have had enough.”

Marie McFaul, 73, has lived on the estate since 1972. She has been burgled seven times, the last on the day of her husband’s funeral in June last year.

The Gazette is withholding her address.

“They ransacked my house, at one of the worst times in my life,” she said. “It has caused a lot of anxiety and expense. I have spent money on a porch and an alarm system for extra security, and I won’t go out now without turning it on.

“We don’t really see local police around here.

“I think drugs are the biggest problem and CCTV in the alleyways would help a lot.

“I have been part of this community for more than 50 years and I won’t be driven out.”

Last year, the UB3 postcode had the dubious honour of being in the top 10 burglary hotspots in the country, according to figures compiled by the website moneysupermarket.com.

This year it fell out of the top 20.

Hillingdon Counci said the local policing team ‘does not perceive [Pinkwell Estate] as a hotspot for either anti-social behaviour or burglary’.

There were fewer than five reports of nuisance in the area in the year up to February, records show.

The borough has ruled out installing permanent cameras because of the £20,000 cost and the lack of statistical evidence of a crime hotspot.

Drug dealing and burglary, and youth crime are the Pinkwell Safer Neighbourhood Team’s priorities.

Inspector Kevan Baylie, who leads the South Cluster Local Policing Team, said: “We would be keen to hear Mr Wray’s concerns.

“The fear of crime is often worse than the actual crime levels, but victims just want to see police on the street. Burglary has always been a priority in Hayes, but we have seen reductions.

“Communication is key. We hold regular public meetings to discuss local policing issues, and they are well advertised.”

The next panel meeting, where ward priorities are set, is being held on April 28 at the Crane Community Centre in Fuller Way, Hayes, from 7pm.

The Pinkwell SNT can be contacted by phone on 0208 721 2556, or email: pinkwell.snt@met.police.uk

Councillor Douglas Mills, Hillingdon Council’s cabinet member for community, has agreed to review the situation again in three months.