Aussies warned to stay away from London by terrified locals as the cost of living crisis continues and violent crime escalates: 'It's the worst it has ever been'

Aussies are being warned to stay away from London Read more: Aussie living in the UK shocked by the laws 

Aussie travellers have been warned to stay away from London as street crime and the cost of living crisis spiral out of control.

The city has been slammed as 'unsafe' by seasoned travellers and even Brits have taken to social media to reveal it no longer feels like home.

And according to the police it's more than 'a feeling'. A phone is ripped from someone's hands, pocket or purse every six minutes with 8,500 snatched in January alone.

One young woman took to TikTok to vent about London's decline and mourned for the city she grew up in.

'I think that this is the worst the city has been in my lifetime,' she said.

The woman said Londoners are 'paying through the nose' to live there and have to deal with violent crime 'right outside' the front door.

Others were quick to agree with some claiming the troubled city will 'self destruct in the next ten years'.

'I moved to Spain and didn't realise how bad London was until I left. It is a dive. Get out,' another woman urged.

London locals are warning people to stay away due to the cost of living crisis and a spike in crime. A phone is ripped from someone's hands, pocket or purse every six minutes with 8,500 snatched in January alone (stock image)

'Born and raised in London and my God it is taking its toll,' agreed a third.

Even long-term visitors have had enough of the city on the Thames.

'I've been here for almost seven years. I'm ready to leave now. Specially after the pandemic, something doesn't quite feel the same,' one woman said on Reddit.

Another said he has called the city home for six years, sticking to more exclusive areas to stay out of trouble but even they have become unsafe.

'I have lived in what people say are the best/richest neighbourhoods in London and crime is so prevalent here. It's not even a joke and nowadays it is becoming more and more present. I now hear police passing by my house every day whereas before it used to be once every two weeks,' he complained.

He added that his phone has been broken into recently proving crime is creeping into wealthier streets.

A Redditor from Melbourne who considers himself 'reasonably street smart' and claims he's not 'lost a valuable possession in 30 years' had his phone stolen while waiting for an Uber at London's Gatwick airport.

The thief approached on a moped, collided with the man and snatched his phone from his hand.

'I am still at a loss of words to express my disillusionment at this situation, and sense of loss and anger,' the Aussie tourist said.

Moped gangs are found all over the city - hundreds swooping in for people's devices as they walk through the streets every day.

One young woman took to TikTok to vent about London's steep decline and mourned for the city she grew up in. 'I think that this is the worst the city has been in my lifetime,' she said (stock image)

A woman who grew up in the city sympathised with the man - and the other 100,000 people who have their phones snatched from their hands each year.

'I had constant anxiety every time I stepped into the street - so I left and my mental health improved immediately,' she said.

Repeat visitors are also putting plans to head back on hold.

'I couldn't wait to get back to London when the world opened up - but the reality was terrifying. I was told not to talk to strangers, hide my phone from sight and stay vigilant at all times,' one Aussie woman added.

'I am in London right now, just visiting, if I had to live here it would kill me,' one tourist said.

'I recently went and was terrified. So many scary incidents in London! And I'm a seasoned traveler that rarely strikes trouble,' one woman added.

Violent crime in the city is linked to soaring cost of living pressures which have crippled the population the London School of Economics revealed.

When the cost of living increased by 10 per cent, reported crime increased by eight per cent, according to the school's data.

The sheer cost of living in the city is another reason people are being urged to stay away.

'Inflation has hit the UK much worse than Australia, and so far Australia seems to be enjoying a slow descent into recession whereas the UK is taking a sharp dive,' one Aussie in London warned on Reddit.

And others were quick to agree with one man revealing in the last two years living in London his groceries had increased by 30-50 per cent, rent had increased 10-15 per cent, lunch has increased by 30 percent and transport by 10 per cent. But his pay had only increased by eight per cent.

The urgent warnings and reports about violent crime and high living costs infuriated others fond of the city.

'I love living here, I travel a lot and I am always relieved when I get back,' one woman said.

'I moved to London from Australia and was able to be myself for the first time in my life. It is wonderful,' another said.

One more Aussie with no regrets about relocating said: 'I've lived here 20 years and every time I cross one of the central bridges over the Thames my heart skips a beat.'

Others urged people to 'get a sense of the city for themselves' before 'leaning into crime stories and hysteria'.

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