Street robbery soars under New Labour

Police have blamed a sharp rise in the number of street robberies on the increasing popularity of iPods, MP3 players and the new generation of internet-connected mobile phones.

Figures to be released by the Home Office later this month are expected to reveal that muggings rose by almost 40% in some parts of the country last year.

In London the number of robberies increased for the first time in three years, reversing a steep downward trend.

Robberies went up by an overall 5%, according to figures obtained last week from 22 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales. If these statistics are reflected nationally, it will be the first time that robbery has risen since 2002.

In Merseyside robberies went up from 539 between April and June last year to 731 in the same period this year — an increase of 36%.

Robbery also increased by 11% in South Yorkshire and 6% in Hertfordshire.

In London police recorded almost 1,500 more robberies over the period April to June — a 15% rise. Separate figures from the Metropolitan police show that muggings and snatch thefts of iPods have increased more than fivefold since last November. Ten incidents of this kind were reported in that month, followed by 35 in April and 52 in May.

The number of iPods reported stolen from cars and homes also increased from 178 in November 2004 to 395 in May this year.

Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan police commissioner, warned earlier this year that the iPods’ distinctive white headphone leads allowed owners to be easily targeted by criminals.

“In street robbery, our concern has been around the smaller portable pieces of kit — the new generation of mobile phones and iPods,” he said. “ It is very obvious when someone is wearing an iPod. That is what is fuelling this.”

From The Sunday Times by Will Iredale with additional reporting: Leonora Oldfield

Ed:
Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan police commissioner, seems to be missing the point. His job is to ensure the ordinary citizen can walk the streets of the London in safety. Does he actually believe that law abiding people are being driven to crime because of iPods or, as is more likely, is he using iPods to cover up the failure of policing under New Labour.