Prostitute phone cards hide razor danger

nlnews@archant.co.uk
05 December 2007

PROSTITUTE cards placed in phone boxes to advertise the services of vice girls are being laced with razor blades and chemicals to turn them into booby traps.

So-called "delivery boys" who paste the cards across Camden on behalf of pimps are fighting a constant battle against rivals, as well as BT cleaners sent to tear down the X-rated material. In a deliberate attempt to harm both cleaners and competitors, some of the cards conceal viciously sharp blades, pins or a chemical that burns the skin.

Police Constable Dylan Belt, who obtained an ASBO against a persistent card offender, said: "We send the cleaners in and there are occasions when they find cards that have been booby-trapped. It could be with razor blades and they also use an irritant which burns the skin. But hopefully this will be the last time the problem rears its ugly head."

It is a particular worry because children as young as nine have been known to collect them. PC Belt added: "Whereas some kids collect football cards you get other kids collecting these things and swapping them. You have to be 18 to buy pornography but any child can walk in and pick them off the walls. People leaving these cards should know that it is illegal and we will use ASBOs and all our powers to stop them."

Particular hotspots for the problem include King's Cross, Euston and Camden Town.

Marketing worker Sean Murray lives off Railway Street, King's Cross, where he has long campaigned against the prostitute cards.

He said: "Clearly something is going wrong if nothing can be done to stop these people leaving cards, especially if they have razor blades in, which is especially nasty. I would not want to pick them up. It needs a strong response from the community support team."

A BT spokeswoman said: "We will definitely look into this. Putting razor blades in the cards is an incredibly stupid thing to do and totally unjustified. It could harm out staff and members of the public - and anyone who sees this being done should call the police. We will do everything we can to protect people using phone boxes and resolve the situation.