…By Henry George for TDPel Media. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released data indicating a significant increase in knife-related crimes in London.
Over the 12 months leading up to March of this year, there were 12,786 reported knife offences, marking a 16% rise compared to the previous year’s figure of 11,031.
Surge in Knife-Point Robberies:
The primary reason behind this rise in knife crimes is attributed to a surge in knife-point robberies.
These incidents increased by nearly a third, reaching a total of 7,389 over the 12-month period ending in March.
This figure represents a 31% increase from the previous year’s total of 5,627.
Increase in Knife-Point Sexual Assaults:
Furthermore, knife-point sexual assaults also saw a significant increase, with 220 such crimes reported in the latest year covered by the statistics.
This represents a rise from 189 incidents recorded in the previous 12 months.
Additionally, threats to kill involving a blade rose from 949 to 1,015.
Decrease in Knife Killings and Attempted Murders:
Although the overall knife-related offences increased, there was a decrease in knife killings and attempted murders.
The number of knife killings dropped from 76 to 63 in the most recent 12-month period, and attempted murders with a blade fell from 59 to 54.
Similarly, offences of assault with injury and attacks with intent to cause serious harm were slightly below the previous year’s tally, totaling 4,045 incidents.
Implications for Law Enforcement and Mayor Sadiq Khan:
These statistics provide some reassurance to the Metropolitan Police (Met) and Mayor Sadiq Khan, who may face scrutiny over their handling of law and order issues during the City Hall campaign.
It suggests that police efforts to tackle knife crime are having some impact.
Concerns of Resurgence in Blade Offending:
However, the recent knife murders of four London teenagers, including the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Rahaan Ahmed Amin, raise concerns about a potential resurgence in blade offences in the capital.
The 16% increase in knife-related crimes in London over the past year is significantly higher than the 5% increase recorded in England and Wales as a whole.
London’s Share of Blade Offences:
The ONS figures indicate that there were a total of 50,489 blade offences in England and Wales for the year ending in March.
This means that London accounted for approximately one-quarter of the total, highlighting the severity of the issue within the capital.
Decline in Sexual Offences:
In contrast to the rise in knife crimes, sexual offences recorded by the police in London saw a slight decrease of 1%.
The number of reported rapes to the Metropolitan Police or City of London Police also fell, with the latest annual total of 9,132 representing a 2% decrease from the 9,325 incidents recorded in the previous year.
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