The knife crime scourge plaguing so many of the borough’s teenagers has left Croydon police saying it cannot tackle the problem on its own.

The frank admission comes after four teenage boys were stabbed within one week.

Chief Superintendent Jeff Boothe, Croydon’s borough commander, said the support of the community was needed if the tragedies are to be halted.

In the fourth brutal attack a 16-year-old was repeatedly knifed, in the face and back, during a street brawl in Albert Road, Thornton Heath at about 3.20pm on Saturday, March 4.

RELATED: Another teenager arrested after boy repeatedly stabbed in face and back in South Norwood

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Croydon’s borough commander Jeff Boothe said community group support is needed for the tragedies are to be halted

The teenager, who later took himself to hospital with multiple stab wounds, was himself arrested on suspicion of carrying a knife on the same day.

An 18-year-old man was also arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, March 7 in Hampshire on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.

In a separate attack, two teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after another was repeatedly stabbed in a car park on Tuesday, February 28.

RELATED: 16-year-old boy repeatedly stabbed in face and back in South Norwood arrested

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Video footage from a witness passing in a car captured the moment a teenager is appeared to have been stabbed in Albert Road

The 17-year-old boy was found in a stairwell of Wandle car park. He was taken to hospital and was still in a life-threatening condition when the Croydon Guardian went to print on Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, March 1, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed following a fight in South Norwood High Street just after 6pm.

Officers are also appealing for information after the victim of a stabbing of an 18-year-old in Thornton Heath took themselves to hospital after police were called to Virginia Road shortly before 12.30pm on Monday, February 27.

Chief Sup Boothe said a long-term plan was in place to tackle the borough’s knife crime issue and that criminalising and jailing those involved was not enough.

He added: “We need to understand it and create a diversion.

“This is an ongoing issue which has come to a head in the last week or so, and I want to assure people there is a long term plan to tackle this.

“[But] we the police cannot tackle this alone, we need support of all the community working with youngsters to educate them and advise them of the dangers of carrying knives in the borough.

“Those involved are not engaging with police, which limits our ability to understand the root causes.

“This is why it is important for us to work with community groups who can speak to those involved and engage with them and help us [tackle the problem].”

According to Chief Sup Booth, knife-crime charities, Croydon Council and schools are all working together well to stamp out the crime.

On the 16-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of carrying a weapon after he had been stabbed on Saturday, Chief Supt Boothe said: “What I can say is that there is clear evidence that by carrying a knife people leave themselves open to the knife being used against them.

“The message is clear. Do not carry a knife.”

A Croydon head teacher in February wrote to parents warning them about gangs after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed in the neck during a fight near the town centre on February 4.

A teenager was found by officers on routine patrol suffering serious injuries at about 4.30pm near West Croydon station.

Kerry Targett, headteacher of St Andrew’s CE school, told parents a “number of incidents” had occurred in the town centre around the time of the attack.

It is not clear whether he attended the Warrington Road school.

A council spokeswoman said: “We are working in partnership with the police to prevent further incidents from taking place, and would encourage anyone worried about knife crime to call 999 in an emergency, and 101 to talk with someone about their concerns.”