Data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that London's crime rate has reached 957,481 incidents for the year ending December 2024. Notably, Westminster leads with over 91,000 crimes, while neighborhoods like Kingston upon Thames report fewer than 12,000. Serious issues such as theft and violence have surged, especially in shoplifting, which has more than doubled since 2022. The Metropolitan Police faces severe budget constraints, losing key safety personnel and closing units, raising concerns about its ability to manage the increasing crime wave effectively.
The Met is already struggling to cope as any response team officer will tell you. If more cuts are on the way, then its ability to hold the thin blue line will diminish and London will be facing a crimewave.
Shoplifting in particular has exploded in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. Offences have more than doubled from 38,768 in 2022 to 89,821 in 2024.
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