A petition calling for more CCTV in Bethnal Green has amassed more than 2,400 signatures - following what the business owner who created it described as a "crime wave".

Grace and Thorn flower shop owner Nik Southern claimed the number of window smashing incidents and burglaries has increased in recent months.

In the petition, she said she is raising concerns on behalf of business owners and residents of Columbia Road, Hackney Road, Redchurch Street and the Bethnal Green area.

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Nik claimed that more than 60 business owners in the area had come to her to report their windows had been smashed or that their businesses had been burgled in the past seven months.

She alleged her flower shop, in Hackney Road, was burgled on February 5 at 4am and at 11pm three "huge" windows were smashed.

The Met Police could not provide more specifics on this.

Nik said: "We’re all females here and it’s made us feel vulnerable, quite scared and exposed.

"There’s a crime wave happening in this area and something needs to happen about it – it’s terrible.

"We’re desperate… we’ve almost become numb to it. Enough is enough."

A spokesperson for the Met said: "We are aware of a number of criminal damage incidents in the Hackney and Tower Hamlets area over recent months.

"We are carrying out a thorough investigation and this includes gathering relevant CCTV, speaking to potential eyewitnesses and following up active leads.

"We are also speaking to affected business owners and recognise that these offences are having a hugely negative affect on people’s livelihoods, which we take extremely seriously."

A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said: "While criminal damage is a matter for the police to investigate, we are supporting the police and our community through our CCTV network and other measures.

"The council has also put more of our resources into patrols. Our Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers are walking the beat alongside police in the area to reduce the risk of further vandalism and support our traders and residents."

The council also said it would be providing funding for more police patrols and is awaiting intelligence from police to see if more CCTV cameras are needed.

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of criminal damage in connection with some reports of window smashing across the two boroughs.

These were reportedly at a premises in East Ferry Road on Thursday, March 23 and a premises in Selsdon Way on Monday (March 27).