Bond Street shops are most concerned about rising crime, according to a retail executive. Photo: Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg
Robberies and pickpocketing in London's West End have more than tripled over the past two years as criminals increasingly target wealthy foreign tourists.
New data shows the number of thefts committed by individuals has risen to 2,806 in the shopping area last year, up from 796 in 2021.
Theft currently accounts for around 60% of crime in the Piccadilly and Leicester Square area, according to the Heart of London Business Alliance.
The industry group represents 600 retailers, restaurants and property owners in the county, where shoplifting is also on the rise.
Ros Morgan, group chief executive, said: “Retail crime in the West End poses a threat not just to businesses, but to the wider community — and items luxury is no exception. .
“The West End has seen a significant spike in shoplifting and an increase in theft rates in 2023. We have long called for increased police presence to deter criminal activity and create a sense of security.”
This comes after Marks & Spencer chief executive Sacha Berendi last summer warned of rising crime levels on Oxford Street, citing the rise as the shopping center had fallen into disrepair.
One retail executive said shop owners in nearby Bond Streets are becoming especially concerned about the rise in crime. in crime, which occurred especially at night.
Nicky Aiken, Member of Parliament for the City of London and Westminster, said the criminals were aiming to rob not only wealthy tourists, but also Londoners. She said the situation had worsened since the pandemic ended, with criminals using electric bikes to rob people of items.
She called for greater police action, saying: “The West End is the economic hub of the UK and it is vital to tackle any increase in robberies and shoplifting.
“We need to see more police on the streets, especially in crime hotspots, to provide both reassurance and crime prevention. We don't want the West End to become a no-go zone for visitors or anyone else.»
A few days have passed since it emerged that the recent spate of robberies in London was raised as an issue during trade talks between India and the UK.
David Lammy, Labour's shadow foreign secretary, was told of the concerns of Indian businessmen who had their Rolex watches stolen in Mayfair.
Mr Lammy told the Financial Times that the issue was raised several times when he visited India to discuss a bilateral trade deal.
Police have warned luxury watch owners to be prepared for gang attacks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
Around 300 watches worth £4 million were stolen in «organized opportunistic» attacks in central London over six months, it has been revealed.
Mr Lammy was told about Indian businessmen's concerns about being targeted by criminals when visiting London. Photo: Maja Smajkowska/Pennsylvania
Separate data from Watchfinder shows a growing trend for criminals to target watches, with the number of stolen watches nearly doubling. in England and Wales between 2015 and 2022.
However, criminal gangs are not just targeting individuals amid a wider rise in retail crime. Supermarkets and big box stores have been grappling with a rise in shoplifting for months by spending on more facial recognition technology and internal security.
Major retailers late last year announced plans to team up with police to identify criminal gangs targeting their stores. Tesco, Co-op, John Lewis, Next and Sainsbury's are among the retailers paying up to £600,000 to part-fund the project, which involves data scientists reviewing CCTV, incident reports and recordings from body cameras to connect all the parts.
Met Police said they were using undercover teams to stop criminals stealing high-value watches in areas such as the West End. Ben Russell, Commander of Met Intelligence, said: «Using data and intelligence, we have identified the locations and times these crimes occurred and deployed undercover officers to the area as part of our high-precision approach to crime-fighting.»
< p>“By targeting the people who cause the most harm and the places most associated with crime, we have a greater impact on keeping our communities safe.”
Chris Philp, the Police Minister, said: “Stealing from the individual has fallen nationwide by 40% since 2010, but is showing a worrying upward trend in London.
“We're cracking down on theft, shoplifting and robbery across the country, and it's working. But we need the help of local mayors and PCCs in each force area.
“Sadiq Khan needs to crack down on this, but he doesn't have a plan. He closed the London Crime Reduction Council and refused to protect Londoners.»
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