The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today welcomed the news that business crime is falling across the city as he visited Chinatown’s thriving retail district in central London to mark Chinese New Year celebrations.
Over the past year Westminster has seen an eight per cent drop in shoplifting, theft, burglary and robbery in businesses across the borough. Bexley, Greenwich, Enfield, Lewisham and Waltham Forest, are amongst the boroughs with the highest recorded fall in business crime (between 12–15 per cent). Overall across London there has been a 3.4 per cent drop with 2,736 fewer crimes reported.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "Despite the challenges, London is getting safer. Not only is overall crime down but the fall in business crime is great news for companies and particularly poignant during the tough economic climate. Our hard working police officers are working with traders to target the criminals who cost business millions in losses every year through theft and robbery. We’re getting some real results and we will continue to step up our efforts in the fight against crime."
The largest reduction has been in business robbery and theft from shops– commonly known as shoplifting, with an 11 per cent fall. Although some boroughs have seen small increases, most areas have benefited from targeted police initiatives with local retailers on crime prevention and security measures.
Town centre based police officers have consulted widely with businesses in 2011 to identify and target their top crime concerns which include: anti-social behaviour, accessibility and visibility of the police, commercial theft/shoplifting, other theft and street crime/robbery.
The Mayor met business owners from some of the 200 companies run by the Chinese community in Chinatown during the New Year celebrations marking the Year of the Dragon, in Trafalgar Square today. ENDS
Notes to editors
As well as the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Mayor is backing a variety of events across the capital throughout the year, including especially created events that will contribute to the London 2012 Festival. More information can be found at the recently launched website www.molpresents.com. The Mayor has a video message for Chinese New Year on his YouTube site www.youtube.com/user/MayorsOfficeLondon?feature=mhee
Mayor welcomes drop in London business crime
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson today welcomed the news that business crime is falling across the city as he visited Chinatown’s thriving retail district in central London to mark Chinese New Year celebrations.
Over the past year Westminster has seen an eight per cent drop in shoplifting, theft, burglary and robbery in businesses across the borough. Bexley, Greenwich, Enfield, Lewisham and Waltham Forest, are amongst the boroughs with the highest recorded fall in business crime (between 12–15 per cent). Overall across London there has been a 3.4 per cent drop with 2,736 fewer crimes reported.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Despite the challenges, London is getting safer. Not only is overall crime down but the fall in business crime is great news for companies and particularly poignant during the tough economic climate. Our hard working police officers are working with traders to target the criminals who cost business millions in losses every year through theft and robbery. We’re getting some real results and we will continue to step up our efforts in the fight against crime. “
The largest reduction has been in business robbery and theft from shops– commonly known as shoplifting, with an 11 per cent fall. Although some boroughs have seen small increases, most areas have benefited from targeted police initiatives with local retailers on crime prevention and security measures.
Town centre based police officers have consulted widely with businesses in 2011 to identify and target their top crime concerns which include: anti-social behaviour, accessibility and visibility of the police, commercial theft/shoplifting, other theft and street crime/robbery.
The Mayor met business owners from some of the 200 companies run by the Chinese community in Chinatown during the New Year celebrations marking the Year of the Dragon, in Trafalgar Square today.
Ends
Notes to editors
1. BUSINESS CRIME STATISTICS
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE UNIT
The table below provides a breakdown of business crime offences recorded across the MPS over the last two years. The category of Business Crime includes: Burglary in Other Buildings, Business Robbery, Theft from Shops, and Theft Employee.
Borough 2010 2011 Volume Change % Change
Barking & Dagenham 1537 1566 29 1.9%
Barnet 2904 2883 -21 -0.7%
Bexley 1547 1354 -193 -12.5%
Brent 2169 2038 -131 -6.0%
Bromley 2698 2800 102 3.8%
Camden 3171 3151 -20 -0.6%
Croydon 3431 3659 228 6.6%
Ealing 2728 2799 71 2.6%
Enfield 2125 1870 -255 -12.0%
Greenwich 2470 2165 -305 -12.3%
Hackney 1896 1880 -16 -0.8%
Hammersmith & Fulham 2618 2625 7 0.3%
Haringey 2053 1905 -148 -7.2%
Harrow 1312 1191 -121 -9.2%
Havering 2091 2105 14 0.7%
Heathrow 294 313 19 6.5%
Hillingdon 2277 2325 48 2.1%
Hounslow 2340 2265 -75 -3.2%
Islington 2695 2585 -110 -4.1%
Kensington & Chelsea 2713 2623 -90 -3.3%
Kingston-upon-Thames 1911 1717 -194 -10.2%
Lambeth 2148 2109 -39 -1.8%
Lewisham 2611 2267 -344 -13.2%
Merton 1903 1899 -4 -0.2%
Newham 2704 2513 -191 -7.1%
Redbridge 1902 1909 7 0.4%
Richmond-upon-Thames 1648 1797 149 9.0%
Southwark 2724 2665 -59 -2.2%
Sutton 1977 1992 15 0.8%
Tower Hamlets 2048 2123 75 3.7%
Waltham Forest 2416 2047 -369 -15.3%
Wandsworth 2747 2562 -185 -6.7%
Westminster 7667 7037 -630 -8.2%
Total 79475 76739 -2736 -3.4%
2. As well as the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Mayor is backing a variety of events across the capital throughout the year, including especially created events that will contribute to the London 2012 Festival. More information can be found at the recently launched website www.molpresents.com. The Mayor has a video message for Chinese New Year on his YouTube site www.youtube.com/user/MayorsOfficeLondon?feature=mhe
