Longer at the crossroads attracts drug addiction

Sandra, who lives in one of the houses near the crossing, often sees sellers and buyers meeting at the station or on the sidewalk right next to it.

Märta Lefvert

When Veronica and Sandra have picked up their children from preschool, it happens that there are needles in the stairwells when they get home. There are blood splatters on the walls and floor – traces of those who injected drugs.

– It is incredibly unpleasant, especially when you have small children. Once a man was lying in the stairwell with a syringe and blood next to him, says Veronica.

Veronica and Sandra live on Förmansvägen, next to Årstadal’s cross-railway station. There, riders jump off the trains and meet buyers next to the station for a quick deal. The problem has escalated over the past 1.5 years,

– I have seen people selling drugs many times outside Ica. Those who have windows facing the station often see it, says Veronica.

Started calls

Recently, tenants started the online petition “Increase security in the Golvläggaren quarter, Årsstadal”, because of the problems drug dealing brings. So far, close to 200 people have signed. The list must be submitted to Stockholmshem. The requirement is that the landlord does more to make it more difficult for outsiders to enter the gates.

– It is far too easy to get in. Last Easter, I urged people in our local Facebook group not to let their children walk as Easter carols in our stairwell because there were needles there and it was bloody, says Sandra.

Entering through the garage

The garage is a problem in itself. The tenants share the garage entrance with the grocery store next door and when goods are being delivered, the entrance is open for a long time. From the garage, unwanted visitors then enter the stairwells through unlocked doors.

– We have asked Stockholmshem if it is possible to have them locked, but it is not possible due to fire protection, says Sandra, who also points out that they have had problems with exterior doors that do not close properly.

She has thought about moving.

– I have absolutely done that, even though I like the area and have good neighbours. I feel worried about the children, she says.

Stockholmshem acts

The problems can be found in several of the residential blocks around the crossing and at Stockholmshem you are well aware of them. In an email, the press department writes that they work actively to make it harder for unauthorized people to get in (see fact box on measures). In addition, there is cooperation with the police, but “sees that it can be even better”.

For the police, Årstadal is not a priority. The hub for drug trafficking is the center of Liljeholmen, although it spreads to nearby areas. “We increase the police presence when the circumstances allow it,” writes the municipal police Christoffer Peyre and adds that the police often have to focus on more vulnerable areas.

For Sandra and Veronica, increased police presence is on the wish list, even though they realize that other areas are more vulnerable.

– Drug abuse is a social problem. We don’t have the solution to how to stop abuse, but we want security in our neighborhood, says Sandra.

Sandra and Veronica are actually called something else.

Longer at the crossroads attracts drug addiction

This is how Stockholmshem works

This is what you plan to do:

Install a new garage door inside the Ica delivery door, to reduce free entry into the stairwells via the garage.

Replace all tenants’ key fobs, as some may have fallen into unauthorized hands.

This has been done:

All the gates and cellar doors in the property closest to the crossing (Golvägaren 1) have been reinforced.

Camera surveillance in two garages (at Golvläggaren 1 and Syllen 3). A new door in the garage at Golväggaren 1.

Extra monitoring of disturbance calls, now at Golvläggaren 1.

Check doors so they close/lock properly.

Source: Stockholmshem

I have seen people selling drugs many times.