Sir Ian: Gang crime fight 'could take years'

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The Metropolitan Police Commissioner said it could take years to solve the crisis of gangs and youth violence in the capital.

Speaking to the Standard, Sir Ian described the number of teenage killings - which now totals 22 in 2007 - as "totally unacceptable".

His comments came as new figures showed overall crime in London falling by six per cent in the first six months of this financial year.

The total number of offences was at its lowest level for 10 years, Sir Ian said.

The latest statistics show falls in violent crime of six per cent, with knife crime and muggings both down by 16 per cent. Sexual offences fell by 6.5 per cent and racist crime by 15 per cent.

There were also falls in car crime, down nine per cent, and burglary, down 0.3 per cent.

Gun crime was one of the few areas to show an increase, with the number of offences up by nearly 10 per cent. The number of murders also rose, by five in the six months compared to last year.

Sir Ian said he believed increased gun crime was connected to the rise in youth crime and gangs in London.

He added: "We are concerned about weapon availability, particularly guns, and we are cracking down on it through a number of operations, including armed interventions on the street."

Speaking halfway through his five-year tenure as commissioner, he described the fall in crime as "the fastest I have seen in my service".

He believed the success was the result of more frontline officers, investment in the Met, a more significant performance culture and the introduction of the Safer Neighbourhood police teams.

He said: "The overall picture is good, but the series of gun and knife murders is totally unacceptable."

While violent crime is falling - with a 16 per cent drop in serious assaults - the proportion of young people as perpetrators and victims of crime is rising.