Dear City Councillors, I have recently moved to Dennistoun from the West End of Glasgow.  Before moving home to be with my partner I had real concerns about moving East. As much as I loved visiting the city centre I preferred the leafy security of knowing that a G12 address has lower crime rates and far more coffee shops- not to mention the fact that you can’t swing a cat without hitting a Yoga Studio. As soon as I moved to Westercraigs, however, I fell in love with the place. The small, quiet park and the local shops were much more open and friendly. I love my neighbours. The fact that there is a community garden in the middle of our houses only contributes to the relaxed and friendly feel of the place. Having a Lidl at the bottom of the street doesn’t hurt, either. Last Tuesday at around 6pm I was walking home from a local restaurant ten minutes away from my front door. A few minutes before reaching my house a man ran up behind me, held a knife to my side and took everything from me. He had followed me home and had been waiting for a quiet, dark place to rob me. I mean it genuinely when I say this broke my heart. Through talking to the police since this crime took place I learned of another young woman who had been robbed in exactly the same way two days earlier. She had been young, alone and walking home. I have also witnessed high levels of criminal vehicle damage around my home (including my own car), however this doesn’t compare to the anxiety and stress caused by a man who thought nothing of taking advantage of a vulnerable person. I now do not walk alone through the area and continue to suffer from lack of sleep. I would like something positive to come from this experience. It seems to be the case that this area around my home is a popular one for crime as it is darker than many other spots in the surrounding area. The street lighting is low, and significantly out of date. There are no security cameras anywhere in the area and the park- as beautiful as it is during the day- draws light away from the houses surrounding it into a dark patch in the middle. It could be very simple to fix these problems. Mobile security units can be placed in the area immediately, and the street lighting can be invested in. Long-term security cameras could be fitted and the trees could have unobtrusive lighting put into them during the night. I am more than happy to canvass the area and listen to the community opinion. There are many young families in the area and I am sure the majority of them would encourage better security measures around their homes. I look forward to hearing your take on these proposals.