Police patrols on a housing estate where a teenager was stabbed last week have apparently sent gangs "into hiding" - but residents are asking, which estate will be next?

A woman in her 60s heard a scream on Wednesday night as a 17-year-old was stabbed outside Paxton Court, a six-storey housing block in Armfield Crescent, Mitcham.

July 29: Teenager stabbed in Armfield Crescent near Mitcham town centre

July 1: Mitcham stabbing: Two teenagers, 16, arrested

Peering out of her curtain, she saw a group of men running into the night - but it was too dark to identify them.

Six days later, she said: "I am too frightened to sleep at night.

"Police found five knives in one of the blocks last month and six months ago two knives were found in the stairwell in this block.

"They hide them in the bins or in the lifts. The main thing is the drugs.

"The other day I saw a man with blood-shot eyes and a can sitting outside.

"I can't call the police because then they will know it was me who called them."

No-one has been arrested for stabbing the teenager - who is believed to live in Armfield Crescent.

But police have been seen patrolling daily on the estate after making door-to-door enquiries at Paxton Court.

It comes after a 16-year-old was stabbed outside Poundland in Mitcham town centre on June 30. Two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

They have both been bailed to return to a police station in September.

A man in his 30s, who did not want to be named, said: "They [gang members] are moving from Sadlers to Laburnum to Eastfields to Armfield Crescent.

"These are all estates in close proximity. They just go back and forth.

"Sadlers has a bad reputation so the police have clamped down on it, then they clamped down on Mitcham town centre and now here.

"Soon it's going to be Laburnum. I don't want to say that but I wouldn't be surprised."

Your Local Guardian:

A resident said no-one had been stabbed in Armfield Crescent for three years - until last week

The man, who did not want to be named, added: "It was going to escalate sooner or later because gangs bring no good.

"They are not going to open up a shop and start selling chicken.

"They are going to hang around in the street and something will happen.

"Because the youths don't have anywhere to go forward, no future prospects in life."

Another man in his 60s said it used to be a quiet estate, but he thought teenagers from Croydon had been using the estate to buy and smoke drugs.

He said: "They come here and smoke and I think it's a matter of confrontation and then they don't like each other, things can escalate and then all of a sudden all hell breaks loose."

Your Local Guardian:

Police tape was ripped down from outside Paxton Court the morning after the stabbing 

Chief Inspector Mark Lawrence, of Merton Partnership Team, said: "We will not tolerate knife crime and will bring anyone involved in violence before a court. 

"We would like to reassure residents that we have been conducting a number of enforcement activities across Merton and will continue to do so to seriously deter those who arm themselves with knives. 

"People across Merton can expect to see more coordinated and intelligence-led activity over the coming weeks, including weapons sweeps and extra patrols. 

"I would personally urge anyone with information about knives being hidden in particular places, or any intelligence that can assist us to prevent a stabbing, to call us in the strictest confidence."

Anyone with any information about the recent stabbings should contact Merton CID on 07919 690416 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

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