Viral ‘Ballymen of Jesmond’ Rumours Confirmed Hoax

Northumbria Police and Newcastle University reassure students that Jesmond ‘Ballymen’ robberies are a hoax following weeks of online speculation and terror amongst students.

Recent fears of unprovoked gang robberies amongst residents and students in the Jesmond/Sandyford area have been dismissed following a statement released by Northumbria Police stating they have had ‘no reportings of such incidents.’

In a joint statement, Newcastle and Northumbria University provided further confirmation:
‘[Northumbria Police] are in close contact with both Universities.’

‘Please be assured, we will always act on any concerns raised by the community.’

This has brought relief to residents of these areas, many of whom lived in fear following such disinformation.

It is unclear where these rumours originated, however,  students were left terrified following online stories and speculation. Many unverified messages circulated social media with the collaborative ‘Newcastle 2026’ Snapchat ‘story’, a group notice board for university students, left flooded with screenshots regarding gang intimidation, robberies and attacks. Due to this, many students were subsequently confused at the legitimacy of these rumours and concerned for their general safety within these student areas. 

Bradley Hennefer, a third year sports science student at Northumbria University, stated that the rumours alarmed him: ‘I usually don’t think twice about walking anywhere, but it did make me feel a bit more on edge after I’d seen people talking about it online.’ 

Fransesca Crisannti, a second year business student also attending Northumbria University, expressed her feelings of fear and vulnerability during these times. She goes onto explain how her housemates had been informed of an alleged burglary that took place in a student house in Sandyford, just a few doors down to where Crisannti currently lives. 

‘My housemate just put on our house group chat about what she had heard and obviously it scared me. She said about how two men had just walked into a house while everyone was sat in the living room, wearing balaclavas.’ Crisannti also reveals how she posted a screenshot of this conversation to her Snapchat story expressing her concern for her and her friends’ well beings and sharing it to others online. She also reveals that rumours of a girl being ‘mugged at knife point’ had also been circulating, again unnerving the twenty-two year old business student.

Some students appeared to approach the situation light heartedly, with many incorporating these rumours with viral TikTok trends. With one user ‘hiding jellycats’, another ‘protecting air fryers’ and another guarding [alcohol].

Although these rumours have been debunked, it is important to note the importance of vigilance and street awareness when living in a busy city such as Newcastle. 

PC Tom Head, officer at Greater Manchester Police, urges students to ‘remember the inner city does not have the same level of security as the outer/more rural home towns.’ He goes on to remind students to ‘Be aware of surroundings even when at home; just because you are at your front door does not mean you are safely in your home yet.’ 

He also goes on to add ‘If you feel unsafe in any area leave or, call 999.’ 

For more advice on student safety awareness, please see here for our guide. 

Newcastle University also reminds students to utilise safeguarding facilities provided to them i.e  their free ‘SafeZone‘ app which provides students of both universities easy access to the relevant emergency contacts.

These contacts are  NOT a service for medical emergencies or issues away from the university campus.