Sadiq Khan
Photo Credit Carl Court/Getty Images

“Outrage! Sadiq Khan Blasted as London Faces Surge in Shoplifting and Knife Crime

Mayor Sadiq Khan is under intense scrutiny following the release of alarming crime statistics this morning, revealing a significant surge in shoplifting and knife crime across the capital. The latest figures from the National Crime Survey indicate that shoplifting incidents in London have soared by 50% in the year leading up to September 2024, totaling a staggering 80,041 offences. Additionally, knife crime has increased by 18%, starkly contrasting with the national rise of just 4%.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) underscored the severity of the situation, highlighting that the wave of theft has left retailers warning that crime levels are now “spiralling out of control.” Overall recorded crime in London has also risen, from 915,000 in 2023 to 952,400 in 2024. Robbery figures have climbed from 32,300 to 35,500 during the same period, reported by the Express.

In response to these troubling statistics, Sadiq Khan has faced harsh criticism from political opponents. Reform UK’s Lee Anderson lambasted Khan for receiving a knighthood amidst what he described as chaos under Khan’s leadership. Anderson told the Express: “If the public had a choice, Khan would never have received such an honour. Britons overwhelmingly believe he has done everything possible to accelerate London’s decline, prioritising everyone except British natives.

We have been betrayed by his leadership yet forced to endure his disastrous policies. Under Khan, shoplifting has risen by 50%, and knife crime is up 18%—yet we’re expected to celebrate him? He is a disgrace to this great city, to the people who built it, and to those who keep it running. He has given our beautiful capital city away and he should apologise to the whole of the country.”

Conservative London Assembly crime spokesman Susan Hall echoed Anderson’s sentiments, stating, “Today’s figures bring shame on the Labour politicians and bureaucrats at City Hall who have presided over this crimewave that is destroying our city. I will continue to oppose Khan’s misguided budget that seeks to cut the Met Police by 1300 officers until I am blue in the face, because I know that this will only make things worse. Labour’s refusal to get to grips with this problem – to back our officers, to back stop and search, to come down on offenders – is shattering lives in London. It cannot continue.”

The backlash comes at a time when London’s police force is facing a potential reduction of 2,300 officers, the lowest in six years. Frontline officers have warned that maintaining public safety will become increasingly difficult, with longer response times to 999 calls and reduced neighbourhood patrols. Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has previously cautioned that “the eye-watering cuts will make it harder for our force to catch criminals.”

Despite the rising crime rates, a spokesperson for Sadiq Khan defended the mayor’s record, stating: “Today’s ONS figures show that the violent crime rate in London again remains lower than the average for the rest of the country and fewer offences have been recorded over the last 12-month period. This builds on the progress that the Mayor has achieved in London with the number of young people being injured with knives, homicides, gun crime lethal barrel discharges, and burglary all down since 2016. Recorded rates of theft, shoplifting and robbery have increased nationally, fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis – while policing continues to feel the impact of a decade of damaging real-terms cuts by the previous government.”

The Conservative critique highlights a growing dissatisfaction with Khan’s handling of crime in London, emphasizing the need for increased funding and support for the Metropolitan Police to combat the rising tide of criminal activity. As the debate continues, the effectiveness of Khan’s policies and the future direction of London’s crime prevention strategies remain at the forefront of political discourse.

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