Concern as robberies in Havering more than double under Mayor Sadiq Khan

• Robberies in Havering have more than doubled since Sadiq Khan took office, from 319 recorded cases in 2016 to 683 in 2019, an increase of 114 percent.
• Knife crime also continues to surge with the 179 cases recorded in 2016 rising to 275 cases in 2019, an increase of 54 percent.
• Keith Prince AM said that the Mayor ‘must be held to account’ for his failure to address the ever-growing crime emergency in London.

Data released by the Metropolitan Police has revealed that the number of robberies recorded in Havering has more than doubled since the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, took office nearly four years ago. The alarming statistics show that the number robberies have increased from 319 in 2016 to 683 in 2019, equivalent to 114 percent.

During the same period, knife crime has risen by 54 percent from 179 cases in 2016 to 275 cases in 2019. Almost all other forms of crime have also been on the rise, such as a 30 percent increase in sex offences and a 167 percent increase in robberies with the use of guns.  

GLA Conservatives have proposed a fully costed plan to finally put a stop to this crime epidemic, which cuts Sadiq Khan’s wasteful spending by £113 million to free up £104 million to create a Violent Crime Emergency Fund. This can be used at the Mayor’s discretion to put another 1598 police officers on the street or to improve crime prevention programmes. This week, the Mayor and the Labour Assembly Members have chosen to reject this plan. 

Keith Prince AM said:

“The alarm bells keep ringing for the Mayor and these latest crime statistics will do nothing to ease Londoner’s concerns about our crime problem which is spiraling out of control.

“The last thing the hard-working people of Havering need is to find themselves the victim of yet another robbery. We desperately need Sadiq Khan to stop prioritising his political career with wasteful spending on his own PR agency and on more press officers in City Hall, and to start prioritising measures to finally tackle our crime emergency.

“Shamefully, the Mayor failed to do exactly that this week with his last budget as Mayor, as he and his Labour Assembly Members voted to reject our fully costed plan.

“The Mayor has consistently attempted to shift the blame for his own failures onto others, but ultimately he is the elected Mayor and he must be held to account for failing to keep Londoners safe”.