{"id":121230,"date":"2023-11-12T08:39:09","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T08:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=121230"},"modified":"2023-11-12T08:39:09","modified_gmt":"2023-11-12T08:39:09","slug":"inside-dumping-ground-town-where-crime-is-high-along-with-house-prices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/world-news\/inside-dumping-ground-town-where-crime-is-high-along-with-house-prices\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside dumping ground town where crime is high along with house prices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite being one of the most deprived areas in the country, Sandwell has been named as the second most desirable place to live in the UK. <\/p>\n

House prices have soared over the past decade, with the average property price jumping from \u00a3107,560 in 2013 to \u00a3199,445 this year. A study by Swift Direct Blinds revealed that there were 1,744 properties for sale in Sandwell on Rightmove as of October. <\/p>\n

This makes the Black Country borough second in the 'UK Property Index' table, which ranks the most desirable places to live in the UK. However, Sandwell is ranked as the 12th most deprived local authority in England, according to a 2019 Government report. <\/p>\n

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A more recent study also found that the borough, which borders Birmingham to the west, is the second lowest in the country for cost-of-living vulnerability. Despite these findings, residents and businesses in Oldbury, located in the central part of Sandwell, have mixed feelings about the area, Birmingham Live reports.<\/p>\n

A shopkeeper has spoken out about the troubles he's faced in his store, including an assault from a customer. Karanjeet Singh, 33, who runs a convenience and mobile phone shop called Get In, said the area wasn't 'safe' and there has been long-running 'trouble' at his shop.<\/p>\n

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Mr Singh, who is also a Sikh priest and Indian classical music teacher, expressed surprise at the study's findings. He opened his shop last year on Church Street, just across the road from Sandwell Council House in Oldbury town centre.<\/p>\n

Speaking to BlackCountryLive, he said: "It's alright but it is not like a very safe place because in my shop, I have had so much trouble. Since I started here, I have had troublemakers come into my shop, I have reported it to the council and the police."<\/p>\n

Mr Singh, who moved to the UK from India in 2005 as a youngster, said 'fights' have taken place inside his shop and he's had problems with 'underage' customers.<\/p>\n

He told of a terrifying encounter with a college student who thought he was a gangster, brandishing a large knife in his shop. In another shocking incident, he was hit on the head and turban with a bottle by a young troublemaker, despite his efforts to usher a rowdy group out of his shop.<\/p>\n

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