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What turning a blind eye to urban disorder is doing to London
There is a price to be paid for tolerance of low-level crime.
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Police officers standing guard at the Queen Victoria Memorial in London on May 5.
PHOTO: AFP
Adrian Wooldridge
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Every day, London becomes a bit more disorderly. The police report that shoplifting increased by more than 50 per cent in 2024, a far sharper increase than in other regions, and thefts such as pickpocketing increased by 41 per cent, with mobile phones plucked like low-hanging fruit. Transport for London (TfL) calculates that fare dodging costs the transit system £400 million (S$697 million) a year, but the real figure may be much higher.
But these crime figures capture only a small proportion of the disorder. Delivery drivers cycle at high speed, often on the pavement, frequently scattering pedestrians in their path. The bikes have electric motors and thick tyres; the drivers usually wear masks or balaclavas to conceal their faces, regardless of the heat. The sickly sweet smell of marijuana is ubiquitous in large parts of London (and certainly in Clapham where I live).
