London Evening Standard/London
Police have been drafted in to protect wealthy parents dropping off their children at exclusive private schools in west London after they were targeted in a series of muggings.
Schools in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where parents include Stella McCartney and the Beckhams, have warned families to be vigilant on the school run.
Officers have been asked to step up patrols near the schools, which charge more than £15,000 per year, after thieves tried to swipe handbags and jewellery from mothers at the school gate.
The latest attack happened on Monday when a mother taking her five-year-old to school was dragged to the ground by two men trying to steal her bracelet.
She managed to bite one of the men before they fled in a Jaguar. Another mother was set upon in front of her two daughters as she returned from the school run on Thursday. She suffered bruised knees and fingers after the thieves stole her jewellery.
One parent, who did not want to be named, said: “There have been a number of incidents over the past few years where mums have been targeted for their watches and handbags. The women on the school run have enormously expensive handbags and ridiculous jewellery. They wear fur in the winter and wear diamonds at 8.30 in the morning. It is super flashy. There are a lot of Americans, bankers and people with proper, serious money. There are also celebrities, so the paparazzi are there a lot.”
She added: “Parents are worried and are talking about it. They have started taking their watches and jewellery off. There has been a difference in what they are wearing.”
A spokesman for the schools said: “Following a couple of mugging incidents of parents over the last week, the headmaster spoke to the police, who have been kind enough to keep an extra eye on the area over the last few days.
“This has provided reassurance to everyone and is greatly appreciated. The headmaster has also advised parents to be vigilant.”
Parents were divided about the extra security. One mother said: “I think you’re going to get muggings everywhere in London and if you start increasing security in one place where do you stop?
“It’s awful, but everyone just has to be more vigilant rather than throwing police resources at it.” Another mother said: “If the increased police presence is going to be for a long time then great, but if it’s only for a few days the problem will come back. It has happened before and happens every year.”