Statistics released on Thursday show neighbourhood crime in London fell by 14% in the 12 months to June, amounting to more than 35,000 fewer offences. The Metropolitan Police attribute the decline to increased use of technology including drones, live facial recognition cameras, and high-powered e-bikes, which help officers arrest around 1,000 suspects every month.
Crime reduction across key categories
The Met figures revealed a 23% drop (23,311 fewer offences) in thefts from people, an 11% reduction (2,943) in personal robberies, and a 9% decrease (8,737) in vehicle offences. Offences fell by more than a third in Westminster, with nearly 14,000 fewer crimes recorded during the year. The Met's largest crackdown on phone thefts resulted in 13,000 fewer mobile phone thefts across London, with numbers halving in the West End.
Technology driving arrests
Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: "The Met is also deploying technology such as live facial recognition cameras, drones and high-powered e-bikes to identify suspects and disrupt criminal activity. As a result, officers are now arresting around 1,000 suspects every month, while seizing knives, drugs, illegal e-bikes, stolen mobile phones and other suspected stolen property."
Rowley has previously called on phone manufacturers to make stolen devices unusable. In June, Apple announced a global security update making its stolen device protection feature the default setting for users, a move intended to make stolen phones harder to access and resell.
Mayor highlights West End success
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: "In the West End alone, we have seen phone thefts halved and 14,000 fewer neighbourhood crimes, following a doubling of officers on patrol in the heart of the capital." He added that a new Command Cell in the West End, funded by City Hall, serves as a central point to share intelligence, identify suspects, and help prevent robberies, theft, and anti-social behaviour.
