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53 stories from and about Lewisham, mostly crime & safety, council & politics, local news. The most recent ran on 27 October 2026. Page 2 of 3.
Around 70 Volkswagen vehicle badges and radar sensors were stolen in Catford, Forest Hill, Ladywell, Honor Oak, East Dulwich and Lewisham between 15 and 19 July 2026. Police confirmed investigations are ongoing and called for further reports from affected owners.
Metropolitan Police arrested two people in their 40s on suspicion of robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, and drugs after a foot chase on Rushey Green, Catford. A knife was recovered at the scene.
Colin Burgess, 46, oversees Lewisham’s cemeteries and crematorium while residing in a council-provided house at Grove Park Cemetery. The role includes on-site living, wildlife conservation, and daily interactions with bereaved families. His children grew up among graves, shaping their perspectives on life and death.
A fire broke out on Newlands Park in Sydenham at 2.10pm on 2 August, damaging a shop and the first floor of the building. Seventy firefighters from Beckenham, Woodside and Lewisham stations attended, with no reported injuries. The cause remains under investigation.
London Fire Brigade deployed seventy firefighters to a fire at a shop with flats above on Newlands Park, Sydenham, on 2 August 2026. The incident led to road closures, displacing residents and disrupting local businesses while crews worked to bring the blaze under control.
Transport for London plans to begin construction on the Bakerloo line extension in summer 2027, starting with upgrades at Stonebridge Park Depot. The project aims to improve connections in South East London, where residents report frequent delays and limited transport options.

Lewisham Council has pushed back the reopening of Lewisham Library to late 2027 after uncovering structural problems during renovation works. The £24 million town centre revamp, funded by £19 million in Government money and £5 million in council funds, includes market improvements and a new business hub.
Metropolitan Police seized £4 million in cash and a kilogram of cocaine in Catford after stopping a vehicle. A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing criminal property. The Met called it one of London’s largest cash seizures.

A Caribbean restaurant in Forest Hill will remain open after Lewisham Council reviewed its licence following complaints about noise and disorder. The committee added new conditions, including an event management plan and a dispersal policy, but rejected calls to revoke the licence or cut hours.
Metropolitan Police recovered an estimated £4 million in cash and 1 kilogram of cocaine during searches in Catford on 29 July 2026. A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing criminal property after officers stopped his vehicle and found £35,000 in cash.

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust has drilled test boreholes in Ladywell Fields for a £25m heat pump project, discharging chalk sediment into the River Ravensbourne. The Environment Agency permit allows water release, but unpermitted water extraction for flushing has raised concerns among river protectors.
Lewisham Council issued nine air pollution warnings in July 2026 after ozone levels at Honor Oak Park breached UK targets 26 times. The monitor, one of only three in south London, shows pollution linked to traffic and heatwaves, affecting vulnerable residents.
Borough-wide and national stories that name Lewisham or bear directly on it.
At least seven London councils have now stated they will refuse to cooperate with Home Office immigration enforcement. Newham Council passed a motion to only cooperate with immigration raids where legally obligated, following similar decisions by six other boroughs.
News Shopper reported that five south London schools were recognised in September’s Ofsted inspections. Endeavour Academy Bexley earned Strong Standard in every inspected area, while Newstead Wood School in Orpington secured three Exceptional judgments, signalling high performance for local families.
More than 5,500 children across London have signed up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library since the singer's death. The free book-gifting scheme is now available in seven London boroughs, aiming to provide age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.
The ATHLOS LDN26 event, featuring an all-women's competition with a $1.057 million prize purse, is set to take place at StoneX Stadium in Hendon on Friday, September 18. The event will be broadcast live and free-to-air on the BBC.
London Assembly members approved a motion denouncing six Green‑led boroughs for declining to help Home Office immigration raids. The councils, Lewisham, Hackney, Haringey, Lambeth, Southwark and Waltham Forest, have all adopted a non‑cooperation stance. The Home Office says arrests for illegal work rose 83% and raids grew 77% over the past year and a half.
Chislehurst Care Limited in Bromley and Amazon Cleaning Ltd in Bexley have been named by the Government for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage. Nearly £4 million was repaid to over 27,000 workers across the UK in the latest enforcement round.
Organisers of the 2027 London Marathon are being urged to provide clear arrangements for residents and businesses in Greenwich. The event, scheduled for April 24 and 25, is expected to raise £150 million for charity but raises concerns about two days of disruption.
Winn Road in south east London is divided between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Lewisham. This split means residents on opposite sides of the same street experience different council services and face unique challenges, particularly regarding road safety.
Lime has withdrawn its e-bikes from Penge, Bromley, following complaints from blind residents who were forced into the road by improperly parked vehicles. Bromley Council had previously told Lime to stop operating in the borough as it lacked a contract.
Retailers in Barnet can now submit CCTV footage and witness statements directly to police within hours of a shoplifting incident. The platform, already used in six London boroughs, has increased case resolutions from 7.3% to 29.4%. Smaller shops say cost remains a barrier.
Two separate road collisions in Deptford and Brockley caused significant traffic delays on 6 August. Emergency services attended both incidents, which occurred within an hour of each other during the morning peak. No details of injuries or responsible parties have been released.
Tesco, Boots, Marks & Spencer and Greggs are trialling a system that shares CCTV and witness statements with the Metropolitan Police instantly. The scheme, active in eleven London boroughs, has raised the caution or charge rate from 7.3% to 29.4% and contributed to a 4% drop in shoplifting across the capital.
Southwark Council’s new Green leader, James McAsh, has announced plans to make driving more difficult in the borough. The measures include blocking rat runs and expanding low-traffic neighbourhoods to improve air quality and road safety for children.
The Metropolitan Police will extend a digital evidence-sharing system to eight additional boroughs on Tuesday, after a pilot in six areas increased the rate of cautions and charges for shoplifting from 7.3% to 29.4%. Retailers including Boots and Greggs already use the platform.
Aldi will invest £370 million in 2026 to open 25 new stores across Greater London, including Bromley, Lewisham and Elephant & Castle. The expansion aims to create jobs and improve access to affordable food, with store assistants earning at least £14.88 per hour inside the M25.
The Metropolitan Police’s digital evidence platform has increased prosecution rates for shoplifting from 7.3% to 29.4% in pilot boroughs. The system, used by Tesco, Boots, M&S and Greggs, will cover 14 London boroughs from 3 August 2026, with reported offences down 3.7% in the last year.

Aaron Parker, 41, of Hither Green, admitted two charges of exposing his genitals at Shortlands railway station on 9 March 2025. Bromley Magistrates’ Court sentenced him to a community order lasting until May 2027, including 20 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work.
A 23-year-old man from Lewisham has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for robbing a teenager at Stratford Overground station in June 2023. The victim reported lasting impacts on his safety when using the railway network.
A Lewisham man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison after stealing a £1,500 e-bike and £700 e-scooter from a teenager at Stratford Overground station. The victim identified the thief after seeing the bike advertised on social media days later.
Greenwich Council has launched a public consultation on a two-way cycle track across Blackheath, part of a revised route to Eltham. The scheme drops earlier proposals to close roads to motor traffic but includes shared paths and turning restrictions to reduce rat-running.
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