§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many street robberies took place in the Greater London area during the last 12 months. [86826]
§ Mr. DenhamNational statistics on recorded crime published in July showed that there were 53,547 robberies in the Metropolitan Police Force area between April 2001 and March 2002, which represented an increase of 31 per cent. compared to the previous year.
Figures published in October 2002, as part of the Street Crime Initiative, showed that there were 20,773 robberies between April and September 2002. This was 17 per cent. below the level recorded for the same period the previous year. There were 33 per cent. fewer robberies and snatch thefts in the Metropolitan Police in September 2002 when compared to January 2002, which was the month immediately preceding the onset of Operation Safer Streets.