The Metropolitan Police has stepped up patrols in London’s theft hotspots as the Christmas shopping period begins.
It comes as mayor Sadiq Khan warns Londoners to hide their valuables and “stay alert” as organised criminals seek to capitalise on higher footfall in some of the capital’s busiest shopping areas.
Mr Khan insisted police were making progress in “bearing down” on the “worst offenders” - pointing to the fact that personal robbery offences across London are down by five per cent in the period since April this year, compared with the same set of months last year. He admitted however that “there is clearly more to do”.
The mayor on Tuesday joined officers on a patrol at Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre, to learn more about how the Met is targeting shoplifters with sting operations.
He was also shown one of the Met’s new mobile police stations, currently parked on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is one of four across the capital being staffed by police officers and PSCOs, who use them as bases for responding to local queries, deterring criminals and carrying out targeted local patrols on foot and by bike.
“Millions of Londoners, as we approach the Black Friday sales, as we approach Christmas, will be shopping,” said Mr Khan.
“That’s fantastic for our retailers, but it poses challenges, because we know, I’m afraid, that organised criminals, opportunistic criminals, take advantage of the vast numbers of people going about their business - often with overcoats where their wallets and valuable possessions can be within easy reach of thieves.”
The rise in phone thefts in London has been particularly pronounced over recent years. In the year following the lifting of lockdown restrictions, spanning October 2021 to September 2022, the Met Police recorded 37,534 phone thefts in London.
The figure rose by a quarter in the year that followed to hit 47,435 offences and then jumped by another 40 per cent between October 2023 and September this year to reach 66,528.
Between January and June 2024, Met officers recovered “more than 750 stolen phones”, according to City Hall.
“To make sure Londoners are as safe as they can be, to make sure that there’s minimal shoplifting from our shops, we’re increasing patrols across London,” the mayor said.
“There’ll also be plain-clothes teams operating, [and] there are more targeted operations.”
Asked what advice he would give Londoners on staying safe, he said: “I’m the last person to blame victims of crime, but I think all of us can do things to minimise the chance of us being the victims of crime.
“It’s the old-fashioned advice. Hide your valuables. Stay alert. Be conscious of people around you. If you’re concerned, approach a police officer, or approach security in shops.
“I’m hoping everybody has a great Black Friday sale opportunity this Friday, but also has a great Christmas shopping experience.”
Met superintendent Lucky Singh said: “Around this time of year, we’ll see an increase in theft-related crime - people carrying mobile phones, luxury items, etc - and we’ll probably see an increase in shoplifting.”
But he said the Met was taking a “data-driven” approach to tackle this, including by “sharing information about organised criminality”. The new mobile police stations, he added, had allowed officers to become “embedded” in particular areas and had boosted confidence among the public to approach them and report crimes.
