Muggings in London's West End triple in two years: Retailers say crime spree is threatening future of shopping district as thieves increasingly target wealthy foreign tourists

Muggings in London West End have tripled in the last two years, prompting concerns the crime wave threatens its future of shopping districts popular with wealthy tourists.

New figures show the number of thefts from a person in the area around Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square increased to 2,806 last year, compared to 796 in 2021.

Theft, which includes pick-pocketing and shoplifting, currently makes up around 60 per cent of crime in the West End. The figures were compiled by the Heart of London Business Alliance, which represents 600 local retailers, restaurants and property owners.

Ros Morgan, chief executive of the group, told the Telegraph: ‘Retail crime in the West End is not just a threat to businesses but to the entire community and luxury goods are no exception.

‘There was a significant spike in shoplifting and a rising number of thefts across the West End in 2023. We have long called for a greater police presence to deter criminal activities and instill a sense of security.’

Plain-clothed Metropolitan Police officers posed as victims to catch watch thieves in London

Business leader Devin Narang has warned of Indian CEOs’ fears about crime levels in the UK

Nickie Aiken, the MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, called for more police on the streets – as she warned the situation had worsened since the pandemic.

High-profile businessman Devin Narang recently used a summit with Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy to warn that Indian executives are putting off visiting London due to their fears about falling victim to crime.

Mr Narang said: ‘People are being mugged in the heart of London, in Mayfair – all CEOs in India have had an experience of physical mugging and the police not responding.’

The warning came as British and Indian officials continue to deliberate over a long-delayed new trade deal following the UK’s 2016 decision to quit the European Union.

London’s street crime epidemic last year saw theft from a person offences soar by 27 per cent compared to the previous 12 months.

Metropolitan Police figures show there were 72,756 of those crimes reported in the year to 2023, up from 57,468 in 2022.

Moped and e-bike gangs have been identified as prolific culprits.

Footage of a watch robbery sting was revealed last month with street crime in the capital rising

Mr Narang told the Financial Times: ‘Indians do carry expensive things, but the police not responding is a matter of concern.

‘London is a walking city – you don’t want to look over your shoulder all the time. You don’t want to go to a city where you’re likely to be mugged in the streets.

‘It doesn’t make you feel comfortable. You can walk anywhere in Delhi and you won’t be mugged.’

He claimed the police were often uninterested in such crimes or were slow to respond.

In April 2022 former British boxing champion Amir Khan was accosted by a gunman who made off with his custom-made £72,000 watch as he left a restaurant in east London.

And last July a machete-wielding teenager also targeted broadcaster and former chorister Aled Jones, taking his £17,000 Rolex.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy was challenged over central London’s street crime levels during a meeting with businesspeople in India’s capital New Delhi

A spokesman for London’s mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured) said the Metropolitan Police had ‘stepped up their response to robberies’

Scotland Yard revealed last month how a squad of undercover officers posing as victims carried out an unprecedented sting to capture the so-called Rolex Rippers responsible for a spate of violent watch muggings across the capital.

Plain-clothed officers volunteered to go out wearing valuable timepieces after analysis showed thieves tend to target well-heeled victims leaving pubs and clubs between 11pm and 4am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Soho, also part of the Westminster district.

Over two operations, which ran from October 2022 to December 2022 and March 2023 to October 2023, 27 people were arrested and subsequently charged.

Of these, 21 were convicted – with 14 sentenced to a total of 26 years in prison.

The Mayor of London’s office said: ‘The Met have stepped up their response to robberies – which are rising nationally – and have specialist teams out proactively targeting the most prolific offenders and robbery hotspots.’

An officer wrestles with a young man on Oxford Street after police responded to a TikTok inspired looting spree