Dozens of police officers will be deployed in the West End to help crack down on phone theft and help people feel safer in London‘s shopping district.
An additional 80 officers will patrol the West End and St James’s wards in central London following investment from the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan.
Earlier this year, it was revealed around 957,481 crimes were recorded across London in the 12 months to December 2024, a rise of two per cent on the year before.
Westminster had the highest number with 91,380, more than double that of the nearest densely populated borough of Camden (42,569), Newham (39,990), Southwark (39,500), Lambeth (38,116) and Croydon (35,374).
Further figures show that the West End is the worst area of the country for phone theft, with nearly 18 stolen devices reported each day on Oxford Street alone.
There were 6,539 reports of phone theft last year on Oxford Street, Scotland Yard revealed.
Cities of London and Westminster MP Rachel Blake said: “These new police officers in the West End will help crack down on phone thefts and improve safety for local people and all Londoners.”
Westminster Council Leader Adam Hug said: “We’re delighted to see this new investment to tackle crime in central Westminster from the Mayor and Met.
“Westminster Labour has been making the case for extra police, so we are delighted that our concerns have been listened to.
“These new officers will make a real difference, complementing the work we are doing as a Council to help make our streets safer.”
