Pickpocketing is surging successful London with the country's apical 10 hotspots each successful the capital, a survey revealed contiguous arsenic criminals progressively people unwitting tourists.
Westminster City Council is by acold the UK's worst country for pickpockets with 28,155 reports of theft from the idiosyncratic betwixt March 2023 and March 2024.
This equates to 13,320 reports per 100,000 people, with the borough besides seeing the biggest summation - with a 712 per cent emergence implicit 3 years since 3,466 successful 2021.
Many victims successful Westminster are thought to beryllium tourists becoming distracted portion visiting landmarks specified arsenic Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben.
Popular tourer areas specified arsenic Covent Garden, Soho, and Mayfair are besides hotspots with gangs known to beryllium targeting mobile phones and jewellery including watches.
Camden, location of the celebrated market, has the second-highest complaint astatine 6,848 incidents oregon 3,141 per 100,000 people, based connected investigation of Office for National Statistics data.
The probe by licensing steadfast Get Licensed enactment Southwark – location to Shakespeare's Globe and The Shard - successful 3rd with 5,935 thefts oregon 1,903 per 100,000 people.
Sam Gordon, 20, who works arsenic a waiter successful Chinatown successful London's West End, told MailOnline that helium sees radical getting pickpocketed 'all the time' - and has adjacent been a unfortunate himself
Steven Lorrimam, who runs a souvenir store by the London Eye, said theft was peculiarly a occupation adjacent Waterloo bid presumption and extracurricular hotels
The different London boroughs successful the apical 10 were Kensington and Chelsea, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Haringey.
Volunteer constabulary serviceman attacked aft stopping pickpocket connected bridge
Among the astir high-profile caller pickpocketing incidents successful Central London saw a unpaid constabulary serviceman attacked erstwhile helium tried to halt a theft from a pistillate connected Westminster Bridge.
Ned Donovan, a grandson of writer Roald Dahl who volunteers arsenic a peculiar constable, grabbed a pickpocket aft seeing a theft connected the day of August 19 - but was past acceptable upon by the man's accomplices.
They punched, kicked and choked Mr Donovan to get him to merchandise the man.
This near Mr Donovan with a achromatic eye, bloody nose, cervix marks, a scratched oculus socket and cuts from biting.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed to MailOnline contiguous that nary arrests person been made, but enquiries are ongoing.
In Westminster, Sam Gordon, who works arsenic a waiter successful Chinatown, said helium sees radical getting pickpocketed 'all the time' - and has adjacent been a unfortunate himself.
The 20-year-old told MailOnline: 'It's usually aboriginal astatine night. I'd accidental astir midnight is premier time. The mode they bash it is simply a radical of 2 oregon 3 radical unreal to beryllium drunk and idiosyncratic hangs their limb implicit your shoulder.
'Then, different idiosyncratic comes up – apologises for the drunk idiosyncratic – and they leave. Then you realise your wallet is missing. It happened that mode to me. They took my phone.'
Mr Gordon told however the transgression 'happens to tourists each the time'.
He continued: 'People get their phones snatched disconnected tables erstwhile they're sitting successful the roadworthy astatine restaurants – they conscionable snatch it and run.
'One of my friends got her wallet stolen on here. She noticed erstwhile wealth started leaving her account. They stole £9,000.
'It was due to the fact that it was a Hong Kong slope relationship – and she struggled to get successful interaction with anyone to halt it due to the fact that of the clip difference. Then it was excessively late.'
Darren Day, 57, said the contented is besides rife astir tourer hotspots.
The circuit autobus idiosyncratic said: 'It happens a batch astir here. These pick-pocketers – they've got it down to an creation nowadays. You bash perceive radical saying that their telephone oregon wallet has gone missing.
'I would accidental it's much phones. People snatch them portion whizzing past connected bikes. There's thing you tin bash – they're excessively fast.
'They people radical who are holding their phones out. Or those who person it sticking retired of their backmost pocket.'
Ali El Guerch, 24, a bartender successful Covent Garden, said thieves person adjacent started lurking astir pubs, wherever they enactment a portion of insubstantial connected the array earlier taking a phone
Tour autobus idiosyncratic Darren Day, 57, said pickpocketing is rife astir tourer hotspots successful London
Malik Nadeem, who runs a souvenir store by Westminster Bridge, said tourists are specifically targeted by thieves.
Top tips to debar being a unfortunate of pickpockets
Keep Your Bag Secure
Always usage a container with zips and support it closed. A crossbody container is simply a amended enactment than a enarthrosis bag, making it harder for idiosyncratic to grab. If you're carrying a backpack, support it successful beforehand of you successful crowded areas.
Don't Flash Your Phone
Pickpockets emotion smartphones, particularly erstwhile they're near successful backmost pockets oregon successful plain sight. Avoid utilizing your telephone successful crowded places unless necessary.
Watch Where You Place Your Belongings
Don't permission your wallet, phone, oregon container unattended successful cafés oregon restaurants. Keep your container connected your thigh oregon adjacent your feet alternatively than hanging it connected the backmost of a chair.
Carry Less Cash
Try not to transportation ample amounts of cash. If you request cash, support it successful a zipped compartment oregon a unafraid bag.
Stay Alert successful Crowds
Crowded places similar bid stations, buying centres, and tourer spots are cleanable for pickpockets. Be alert of your surroundings, and don't get distracted by abrupt bumps oregon idiosyncratic dropping thing nearby.
Tips provided by Get Licensed
The 47-year-old added: 'They spell for tourists due to the fact that they're much unaware. They presume London is simply a harmless place. But really it's a existent occupation astir here.
'They instrumentality wallets and phones retired of people's backmost pockets – and cyclists travel past successful this rhythm lane and snatch things from people's hands portion they're waiting.'
Kamen Smith, 40, who works arsenic a autobus circuit cause successful Trafalgar Square, said helium and others successful the manufacture effort to pass tourists astir the problem.
He said: 'We effort to pass tourists due to the fact that it does hap a lot. Especially erstwhile the quadrate is engaged astatine the weekends – you tin spot radical making their mode done the crowds. They usually enactment successful a radical of 2 oregon three.
'But I'd accidental you spot a telephone get snatched each day. And tourists get targeted – peculiarly Asian tourists. I don't cognize why.'
Steven Lorrimam, who runs a souvenir store by the London Eye, said theft was peculiarly a occupation adjacent Waterloo bid presumption and extracurricular hotels.
'People get targeted there,' the 29-year-old said. 'Phone snatchers drawback tourists erstwhile they're astatine autobus stops oregon postulation lights.
'It utilized to beryllium a occupation astir present – radical getting pickpocketed and getting their telephone snatched. But it's not arsenic atrocious connected this agelong anymore.
'It inactive happens connected Westminster Bridge, though. There's the 'roses' scam – erstwhile a pistillate gives you a roseate and past you instrumentality it and she demands money. While you're distracted, idiosyncratic other comes on and snatches your telephone and wallet.' Ali El Guerch, 24, a bartender who works successful Covent Garden, said thieves person adjacent started lurking astir pubs.
He said: 'They bash this happening wherever they enactment a portion of insubstantial connected the array and swipe your telephone oregon wallet that way. We effort to counsel customers to not permission thing connected the table.
'When we spot it, we archer them to leave. They tin get rather rude but astatine the extremity of the time they cognize they're successful the wrong. It's ever been atrocious astir Central London, right? But I'd accidental the motorcycle telephone snatching has decidedly gotten worse.'
A tuk-tuk driver, who works each implicit London, said that the contented is astatine its worst successful Covent Garden
Meanwhile, a tuk-tuk driver, who works each implicit cardinal London, said that the contented is astatine its worst successful Covent Garden.
'Groups of pickpockets people radical arsenic they permission the theatre,' the 50-year-old said. 'If you basal astir and ticker it, you'll see. They gaffe into the crowds and travel people.'
He besides alleged that Asian tourists are targeted the most, adding: 'They peculiarly spell for Chinese tourists. They people them. It's awful.'
Outside of the capital, the country with the highest pickpocketing complaint is Manchester which was successful 11th spot with 4,500 incidents oregon 797 per 100,000 people.
The Lincolnshire territory of North Kesteven has the lowest fig of with conscionable 3 per 100,000 radical – portion Ribble Valley was 2nd with 8 per 100,000. South Holland successful Lincolnshire was 3rd with 9 per 100,000.
Police officers are pictured successful London's Leicester Square, which is wrong the Westminster area
The biggest driblet successful pickpocketing cases since 2021 has been observed connected the Wirral successful Merseyside, which reported a autumn of 59 per cent. Nearby, Knowsley successful Liverpool saw a 57 per cent decrease, portion reports fell 50 per cent successful the Ribble Valley.
While Westminster saw the biggest summation since 2021, the Cotswolds has besides suffered a crisp emergence with pickpocketing incidents up 529 per cent.
Some 347,000 incidents of theft from the idiosyncratic were reported crossed the UK successful the twelvemonth ending March 2024 – a 40 per cent summation from 247,000 successful the erstwhile year.
Security adept Shahzad Ali said the information highlighted what helium branded the 'sheer standard of the epidemic'.
Mr Ali, main enforcement of Get Licensed, added that it was 'crucial that radical crossed the state cognize however to support themselves and their belongings harmless from pickpockets'.
He advised utilizing a zip-up container worn crossed the assemblage to trim the chances of idiosyncratic taking it from your enarthrosis – portion keeping important belongings specified arsenic a wallet, telephone and keys successful a smaller cross-body container to support them person to you.
Mr Ali continued: 'Having your telephone successful your manus oregon backmost pouch tin marque you much of a people to pickpockets. Avoid utilizing your telephone successful engaged places and support it successful your smaller container erstwhile not successful use.
'In today's time and age, losing your telephone is simply a large deal, risking much than conscionable the instrumentality itself. Phones location a batch of idiosyncratic information, specified arsenic contact, slope and backstage details.'
He besides urged radical to beryllium cautious of wherever they spot your bags – and if taking a seat, they should spot their container by their feet alternatively than connected the backmost of a chair.
Mr Ali added: 'If you're successful a engaged place, it tin beryllium advisable to spot your ft done 1 of your bag's straps for other security, reducing the hazard of idiosyncratic being capable to snatch it erstwhile walking past.'
Asked astir the scourge of pickpocketing successful the West End - which is portion of the Westminster country - manufacture radical New West End Company said information was 'the azygous biggest investment' for the concern betterment district.
Tourists extracurricular the Houses of Parliament successful Westminster wherever pickpocketing is rife
Dee Corsi, the organisation's main executive, told MailOnline: 'The information of each those who sojourn the West End remains our apical priority.
' Our ongoing concern with the Metropolitan Police Service and cardinal stakeholders aims to guarantee that visitors tin bask the territory safely.
'A adjacent moving narration with the Metropolitan Police Service, and the sharing of strategical quality from our ain 24/7 Security Team has resulted successful a fig of arrests successful caller months.
'We are committed to enhancing these efforts to further trim transgression crossed the West End.'
And Detective Chief Superintendent Christina Jessah, who leads policing for the Metropolitan Police's Central West Command, told MailOnline: 'Westminster is simply a vibrant and breathtaking spot to sojourn with a wealthiness of historical landmarks and attractions – this tin mean crowded pavements, which are the preferred situation for thoroughfare thieves.
'In bid to halt and/or disrupt the activities of thoroughfare criminals, we are deploying constabulary resources to hotspot areas successful Westminster, expanding patrols by some uniformed and plain clothed officers to apprehend and deter criminals, portion besides making officers much visibly disposable to the community.
'In addition, we person enhanced our Town Centre and West End Policing Teams to supply stronger concern moving passim the West End.
'We are moving hard to support Londoners and visitors to our Capital harmless from thieves, but determination are steps that radical tin instrumentality to assistance america to support their property.'
She urged radical to 'stay alert to their surroundings successful crowded places and look retired for immoderate suspicious behaviour'.
DCS Jessah added that pickpockets 'often enactment successful pairs oregon groups, usually successful crowded areas specified arsenic iconic landmarks, attractions oregon stations'.
She continued: 'One of the suspects volition usually distract the imaginable unfortunate portion their accomplice commits the theft.
'Some communal tactics utilized by pickpockets are bumping into you, spilling a portion connected you, hugging you oregon handing you something, oregon asking for directions. While immoderate of these things tin beryllium wholly innocent, these are times erstwhile you request to beryllium other vigilant. Please don't marque it casual for them.
Tourists connected Westminster Bridge, which is 1 of the areas targeted by pickpockets successful London
'Firstly, earlier you got out, inquire yourself if you request to beryllium carrying precocious worth items oregon cash. If not, delight permission it unafraid astatine home. If you bash request to transportation costly items, spot them successful beforehand oregon wrong zipped oregon buttoned pockets.
'If you are carrying a bag, guarantee it is afloat closed truthful that hands can't scope wrong and wherever imaginable transportation it crossed your body. If you request to usage your phone, effort not to usage it successful crowded places wherever hands tin scope implicit and instrumentality it from you.
'We privation everyone to bask London and its fantastic attractions, but we can't combat transgression alone. Please assistance america to support you and your spot harmless by being pickpocket aware.'
Last period a vigilante pickpocket huntsman claimed to person spotted 16 thieves successful conscionable 1 afternoon operating astir fashionable tourer hotspots successful London.
Jaime van Gastel, 52, who is from the Netherlands, came to the UK for a abbreviated play to hunt down pickpockets stealing from tourists.
He said helium caught 23 pickpockets successful London connected August 10 and 11 – including 16 connected the Saturday and different 7 connected the Sunday astir sites specified arsenic Big Ben and Buckingham Palace .
Mr van Gastel, who has been hunting pickpockets since 1995, besides revealed that Asian tourists thin to beryllium the radical astir targeted by the thieves.
London is not the lone European metropolis suffering from pickpockets, with tourists successful Barcelona taking progressively utmost measures to support themselves from being preyed upon.
British Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie's £16,000 Rolex watch was stolen successful a robbery astatine knife-point successful the metropolis past period amid a surge successful the fig of high-end ticker thefts.
To debar falling unfortunate to pickpockets, immoderate tourists successful the Spanish metropolis are present tying handbags to their legs portion sitting successful restaurants oregon leaving each their jewellery successful the edifice safe.
English (US) ·