11:27am Wednesday 10th February 2010
By Claire Hack
POLICE in Redbridge have issued safety advice after a man was stabbed in the leg as he answered a Gumtree advert selling a car in Wanstead.
Members of the public have been instructed never to carry large sums of cash or to answer ads alone.
They have also been advised not to allow themselves to be lured away from a safe meeting spot.
Officers have said there are usually two kinds of robbery – one where the seller is set up for an attack and one where the buyer is set up.
The Met carried out a study into the association between robbery and Gumtree.com between 2006 and 2009, revealing an increase in this kind of robbery, although the figure was low compared to the total number of robberies.
Over the last three years, there have been about 30 such offences, compared to about 30,000 robberies altogether in London.
Levels of violence are also low, with two thirds of victims escaping unhurt.
Robbers usually take cash or mobile phones as well as sometimes stealing cars.
The overall average value of items stolen is £2,225, which is dramatically higher than the figure for personal robbery at under £50.
More information is available online at met.police.uk/fraudalert or vtsag.co.uk or getsafeonlone.org
The man is in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being stabbed in the leg during the attack in Redbridge Lane West on February 4 at about 6.30pm.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the incident room at Redbridge CID on 8345 2667 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
Two men have been arrested and bailed in connection with the incident.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/trade_directory/