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Fall in violent crime on the Tube
Peter Dominiczak20.05.09
The number of robberies on the London Underground has fallen by nearly 30 per cent in the past year, according to police figures.
Thefts, including pick-pocketing, were also down by 18 per cent to 6,134, compared with 7,481 in the previous 12 months. There was a smaller reduction in the number of violent crimes overall on the Tube and DLR, down from 2,215 to 2,158 in the 2008/09 figures.
Robberies fell by 29.2 per cent this year to 136 but there were increases in drug offences and incidents of bikes and cars being damaged or stolen at stations. At total of 338 sex offences were committed this year on the transport network — an increase of two per cent on last year.
The overall number of crimes fell by more than eight per cent to 15,109 offences in 2008/09, compared with 16,445 the previous year. Assaults on LU staff were down by five per cent.
British Transport Police Deputy Chief Constable Andy Trotter attributed the fall in crime to the introduction of 30 policing teams.
Reader views (8)
HAHAHAHA crime is going down on the underground.
Are these figures made up by the same people who said we were prepared for swine flu?
- Josh, London
Yes! most of the Tube users are poorer than the criminals themselves? Soon the criminals will be offering money to the poor tube users!
- A Winsley, London
I hope they continue to improve and that they actually come out!! Red Ken had really neglected the actual day-to-day running of the underground.
- Moy, London
I think must be coincidence. I rarely see staff doing anything else than hanging about behind their bullet-proof glass windows etc.
- Steveo, London, NW1
It still is not good enough. We need more policing and more active Underground staff. They are really too much loitering around for their over-paid salaries they should be doing more.
- Georgie, Islington, London
The Tube is getting more and more overcrowded in line with the rising amount of people living here.You'd be mad to even attempt to mug someone as it's there's invariably an audience.
Personally I'd rather be mugged on a quiet train than stand safely with a mass of stinking foreigners.
- Steve, London
Well done Boris...another manifesto pledge comes good.
- John Bush, London
Ban the booze, cut the violent crime...who'd a thunk it.
Thanks Boris, good stuff!
- St, London
