Afrigather The nation’s prime 10 pickpocket hotspots are all in London, based on new knowledge evaluation.
The Westminster Metropolis Council space in central London was the worst space for pickpockets within the nation, with 133.21 reviews per 100,000 folks, evaluation of newest Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS) figures present.
Westminster additionally topped the listing of areas which have seen the largest improve in pickpocketing instances, with a three-year change of 712.32 per cent.
Most pickpocket incidents recorded are considered telephone thefts.
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Camden has the UK’s the second-highest pickpocketing charges, with greater than 6,800 pickpocketing incidents recorded throughout the borough which is equal to 31.4 per 1,000 folks, based on evaluation by licensing agency Get Licensed.
Southwark had the nation’s third highest fee of pickpocketing, the information suggests, with virtually 6,000 pickpocketing incidents between 2023 and 2024.
Different London boroughs making up the highest 10 included Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Haringey.
Shahzad Ali, CEO and safety knowledgeable at Get Licensed, suggested folks in high-risk areas to make use of zip-up luggage or pockets.
“The kind of bag you utilize, particularly in high-risk areas, can decide your personal threat degree. It’s finest to make use of a zip-up bag which you could put on throughout your physique to cut back the probabilities of somebody snatching it out of your shoulder,” he stated.
“In case you are carrying extra, resembling a backpack, maintain necessary belongings, resembling a pockets, telephone and keys, in a smaller cross-body bag to maintain them nearer to you.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson beforehand stated: “It is vital that victims and witnesses contact the police as quickly as a theft happens – the primary hour after a theft takes place or the ‘golden hour’ is important to catching robbers.
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“In that first hour officers are capable of verify essential forensic proof, serving to to take violent criminals off our streets.”
Londoners are suggested to report thefts at their native police station by getting into individual, giving them a name on 101, or reporting on-line.
Theft victims are additionally suggested to provide authorities the telephone’s identification quantity (IMEI), which might be obtained from community operators.
Victims are additionally inspired to remember the felony reference quantity to submit an insurance coverage declare.
