A once-gentrifying London suburb is being held hostage by a gang of feral children whose campaign of terror includes throwing live pigeons into shops, launching fireworks, and ransacking businesses. Shopkeepers in Eltham, south-east London, say the group, dubbed the 'pigeon boys', have made the High Street and Passey Place unbearable for months, leaving them feeling powerless and unprotected.
A Community at Breaking Point
This marks a tragic decline for Eltham, a former Kent suburb that in recent years attracted savvy millennials and young families with its promise of cheaper first homes and an easy commute. The area had worked to move past the shadow of the 1993 racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, with gentrification bringing Marks & Spencer, Pizza Express, and independent cafés. Now, that progress is under threat.
The alleged suspects are thought to be aged just 10 to 12 years old, according to distressed locals. Their reign of terror is multifaceted and brazen. One high street worker did not mince words: "They are little s**ts! They're called the pigeon boys because they've thrown live pigeons into shops. They come into shops and pop balloons inside. They've flicked matches at people. They've even thrown fireworks!"
The situation is compounded by masked teenagers racing on e-scooters and e-bikes, and more sinisterly, by reports of street drinkers allegedly offering young children drugs in return for shoplifting for them.
Businesses Under Siege: 'Every Evening Feels More Dangerous'
Business owners are at their wits' end. A Subway franchise owner posted in a local Facebook group, claiming groups of children repeatedly enter his store to "throw cans of drink, set off firecrackers, steal items, and shout abuse, including racial comments." Sharing a CCTV image of two boys, he added: "Every evening feels more dangerous. It’s getting impossible to work safely... If this continues, I’m afraid that many of us on the High Street will struggle to keep our businesses open."
Other retailers echo the despair. A newsagent, who wished to remain anonymous, described a pattern of targeted shoplifting, particularly for vapes. "There's six or seven of them. We can't manage them... They are about 10 years old. I think they're on drugs. When they come in the smell is so bad," they said.
One store manager claimed the bad behaviour began two to three months ago and linked it directly to older street drinkers. "There are street drinkers who are provoking the kids to go and steal from TK Maxx and they get drugs in return. If the street drinkers got banned, these boys wouldn't come," he alleged, recounting how a firecracker was once thrown at his face.
Locals Demand Action: 'We Need to Draw the Line'
The impact on residents is profound. Shopper Iwona Golebiewska, 45, said: "It is disturbing. I would expect them to be in school. Something needs to be done or it creates an open door... We need to draw the line as this behaviour is unacceptable." Another local, Michelle, 63, argued: "The police don't do anything. They can't touch them anymore. They should go to borstal for a year."
While shop staff have been provided with walkie-talkies to warn each other of trouble, and police community support officers have been seen patrolling, many feel it is insufficient. Green grocer Jason White, 25, summarised the sentiment: "It's got a lot worse on the high street. You don't see any police – it's very rare."
The Metropolitan Police was approached for comment on the escalating crisis. For now, Eltham's community watches, waits, and hopes for a solution before more businesses are forced to close their doors for good.
