If you were to read through the online comments left on our articles, posts, and videos, you’d be forgiven for being wary of visiting London. According to a loud subset of social media users, almost all of whom don’t even live in London, our city is an absolute war zone. Wade past the racist comparisons to Middle Eastern countries, which hinge upon a dislike of our London-born mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, and you’ll find all manner of horror stories. Apparently, we’re all trapped in our flats, unable to walk the streets, and crime runs rampant through the city.
But if you ask a Londoner, you’d hear a completely different picture. We’ll tell you about walking home late at night, helping strangers on public transport, and joyful days spent exploring London’s gorgeous sights. (Okay, most of us might be more likely to visit a pub than the Tower of London, but that’s besides the point.) Of course, we still make sure to be safe and alert. After all, London is a big and bustling city, with almost 9 million residents. But danger doesn’t lurk around every corner, and we’re not afraid to leave our flats.
And now, the statistics show that the experiences of those who actually live in the city are a far more accurate representation of life here.
Phone thefts dropping
One of the most recent revelations regarding London’s increased public safety is the impressive drop in phone thefts. As BBC News reports, “the number of recorded mobile phone thefts in London fell to 71,391 last year, compared to 81,365 in 2024 – a drop of 12% – Met figures show.” And while this number is still “too high”, as Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
This is due in part to new tools being used by the Metropolitan Police. They’ve started utilising the likes of “[e-bikes], drones and live facial recognition” to prevent and cut down on phone thefts in the capital.
But, obviously, you should still be aware of your surroundings when wandering around the city. It’s not a good idea to get too engrossed in your phone, even if you’re trying to follow Citymapper directions. Even outside of possible phone thefts, you might bump into someone whilst not paying attention to where you’re going.
Falling crime in London
In the wake of the new data around phone thefts dropping, I thought I’d take a look at even more crime statistics in London. And the data paints a pretty heartening picture of life in the city. At the most extreme end of things is London’s homicide rate, where things have improved hugely. According to the Metropolitan Police’s figures:
“There were 97 homicides in 2025, an 11% reduction on 2024 (109) – this represents the lowest total since 2014, with London’s population having risen by more than half a million since then.”
That’s right, despite our city growing, crime is still dropping impressively. Other impressive stats about London’s falling crime rates include:
- Violent crime leading to injury has fallen in all 32 London boroughs over the last 12 months (September 2025)
- There were nearly 9,000 fewer violent crimes leading to injury across London overall over 12 months – a drop of 12% (September 2025)
- “Londoners are, on average, less likely to be a victim of a violence with injury offence than across the rest of England and Wales.” (September 2025)
In fact, London is arguably safer than many other big cities around the world. That’s because “London’s homicide rate is now lower than international cities Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and Madrid and all major US cities.”
So next time you see someone desperately trying to claim that London is a no-go zone or claiming that you need a stab vest to visit the city, just ignore them. They clearly have no idea what they’re talking about.