The number of crimes reported across London this spring fell from 236,972 to 234,523 compared with the same three-month period last year, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Sadiq Khan with police officers (credit GLA)

Sir Sadiq Khan has admitted there is a “long way to go” when it comes to fighting crime in London, despite a drop in recorded offences.

The London mayor boasted of “record funding” for the Metropolitan Police from City Hall as new analysis showed an annual fall in knife crime, residential burglary, personal theft and personal robbery.

The figures, compiled by the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime, showed theft from a person declined from 25,272 between April and June 2024 to 21,937 in the same months this year – a 13% decrease.

Robbery of personal property dropped 13% from 7,106 to 6,209, while residential burglary dropped 10% from 7,974 to 7,144.

The mayor’s office also said there was a 19% reduction in knife crime, though this could not be independently verified as the data is not yet publicly available. Overall, the number of crimes reported across the board in London fell from to 236,972 to 234,523.

However, further analysis of the Met Police figures show that other offences, such as possession of weapons, rape and drug trafficking all increased over the same period.

Khan said: “The latest figures show robbery, theft, residential burglary and knife crime are down in London, but there’s still a long way to go before I’m satisfied. Backed with record funding from City Hall, the Met is putting high-visibility policing at the heart of fighting crime.”

Reform UK assembly member Alex Wilson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “If Sadiq Khan thinks London is getting more safe, he needs to get out more. The idea he points to incremental changes in just a few categories is ridiculous.

“The long-term trends under Sadiq Khan are clear: knife crime is up, theft is up, shoplifting is up, fare evasion is up, phone thefts at the highest ever seen and just 2% of burglaries in outer London result in a charge or summons.

“If Sadiq Khan really thought crime was decreasing he would not be running away from accountability at every opportunity.”

The analysis comes after the Met Police laid out proposals to close almost half of police station front counters in London.

Critics of the plan said the move would have a “devastating” impact on Londoners while only saving £7million, compared to the £260million funding gap the Met Police currently have.

Last month Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the force was “getting smaller but more capable” and was focused on “driving down crime on issues that matter most to Londoners”.

Khan has pledged a policing blitz on London’s 20 most blighted town centres for shoplifting, robbery, knife crime and antisocial behaviour this summer.

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