Man taking pictures of houses on Girton Road @ 10pm

[HappySyd]

Hi all
I was just closing my bedroom curtains and spotted a man walking down Girton Road taking pictures of some of the houses.

It was at 10pm and thought it was very strange.

Has anyone else noticed this on their road?

Should I be worried?

Thanks in advance.

[alywin]

Were they flash or non-flash (if non, then I would have no idea, but if with flash I might possibly have been expected to notice something)? And could you tell whether it was a proper camera, the sort of thing that could take decent photos in low-light conditions? It does sound a bit suspicious, but I suppose there might be an innocent explanation.

[HappySyd]

Hi alywin

It looked like a camera phone and didn't see any flash coming off it.

Just wondering why someone would be walking doing the road in the dark taking snaps (he actually stopped a took a few pictures of my next door neighbours). I've made them aware.

Strange.

Thanks

HappySyd

[mosy]

Did you report the "incident" with as many details as can recall? Tim Lund (or another) will be able to say, if he sees this, to whom as he's up on neighbourhood policing. The police would also know if others have reported such sightings and might know if there's any apparent link to subsequent burglaries. Did you notice, or can you see, if the house exterior was/is marked (e.g. chalk) in any way that would identify it as a potential target? Or maybe a posh car on the forecourt?

Fingers crossed that it's odd but innocent behaviour.

[HappySyd]

Hi Mosy

I'm not sure who to report it too, as nothing has happened but I am aware of what's been happening in the Lawrie Park area.

I've let my immediate neighbours know and will go and have a look for any markings.

Thanks for the tips.

Hopefully it's nothing, but as I've said very strange behaviour.

[biscuitman1978]

I'm not sure who to report it too, as nothing has happened

It might be worth making the Sydenham Safer Neighbourhoods team aware. I'm sure they will welcome any information on suspicious behaviour.

Details are at http://content.met.police.uk/Team/Lewisham/Sydenham

[HappySyd]

Thanks biscuitman1978
Just contacted them.

And thanks to everyone for their comments too.

HappySyd

[owlwise]

Definitely sounds suspicious. He could have been doing a reccy. A precursor to burglary. If you see anyone acting suspicious in the middle of the night you should call the police 999 not 101.

[HappySyd]

Thanks owl wise.

Fingers crossed it's nothing bad, but thought it best to make the neighbours aware anyhow.

HappySyd

[alywin]

Just had a woman taking photos of our place in the Venner Rd "toastrack" using a smartphone. She moved off quite sharpish when she saw me, but that may simply be because she'd finished what she was doing rather than any indication of guilt. Definitely not dressed like an estate agent - more one of those building etc. companies whose staff wear customised T-shirts. I'm not aware of any work having been done here which she might have been photographing.

Just wondering whether anyone else has seen anything similar recently? Will inform the neighbours, anyway.

[Savvy]

Have you got a lovely garden or a nice front door? She might have just been taking a photo so she could show her partner what kind of new door she wanted. Or she might want to purchase a plant that's in your garden. Its something I would like to do but would probably be too shy. I have done it on holiday though, taken photo's of the front of pretty cottages and their gardens. It doesn't have to be something untoward. Burglars are opportunists in the main.

[mosy]

If you have a camera phone, you could stand in same place and take several shots to see if anything might be of interest, or show vulnerabilities.

Before camera phones, I have been known to knock on someone's door and ask them who did their distinctive paving design, and someone knocked on mine to ask who'd done my roof.

Never hurts to stay alert though.

[alywin]

Have you got a lovely garden or a nice front door? She might have just been taking a photo so she could show her partner what kind of new door she wanted. Or she might want to purchase a plant that's in your garden. Its something I would like to do but would probably be too shy.

I certainly wouldn't describe the front door as "nice" - and anyway I thought from the angle of the phone she was aiming higher than the garden, and more towards the window-containing bit of the property rather than the front door. May of course have been a building firm trying to drum up some business by snapping parts of walls they thought needed work or something. It was just that I remembered this thread, and thought I'd check in case this was something more widespread.

[FromCtoShiningC]

I certainly think it's right to be vigilant - and thanks for sharing - a great community thing to do....

Do please let us know if there is anything else similar, or any nefarious activity which may be linked...

Of interest, does anyone know whether Girton Road did suffer any issues after the photographer incident was reported earlier in the year?

p.s. - I agree with others, that whilst it's always great to be cautious, I think Sydenham on the whole is very safe and the vast majority of people are not out to harm at all.... but, that said, best be safe than sorry

[Bovine Juice]

You can check on the Met Police site and see whether burglaries were reported in May or June in that road.