Londons 10 worst areas for pickpockets (Picture: Metro)

Londoners are being warned to remain extra-vigilant as pickpocketing in some areas of the capital surges by 700%.

Between March 2023 and 2024, the Metropolitan Police received more than 79,000 reports of pickpockets.

Some 28,155 were reported in Westminster, with one in seven people in the area having something mainly mobile phones stolen from them.

This marks a 712% increase in the area from three years ago, and is by far the highest rate of thefts across the capital.

The second highest borough is Camden which saw 6,848 thefts and with a population of 218,000, this amounts to a rate of 31.41 number of pickpockets per 1,000 people.

Southwark was the third highest, with 5,935 people reporting being pickpocketed, leaving it with a burglary rate of 19.03 per 1,000 people.

Other areas are also seeing huge increases in reported incidents, including Kensington and Chelsea seeing a 426% rise on three years ago.

Lambeth has also increased by 280%, the City of London by 266% and Greenwich by 245%.

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London areas with the highest rate of pickpocketing:

Westminster 133.21 per 1,000 residents Camden 31.41 per 1,000 residents Southwark 19.03 per 1,000 residents Kensington and Chelsea 18.86 per 1,000 residents Hackney 14.67 per 1,000 residents Islington 12.8 per 1,000 residents Lambeth 10.87 per 1,000 residents Newham 10.65 per 1,000 residents Tower Hamlets 9.23 per 1,000 residents Haringey 9.04 per 1,000 residents

Get Licensed, which used data from the Office of National Statistics, found Londons 32 boroughs made up 70% of total reported incidents in the UK.

Shahzad Ali, CEO and security expert at Get Licensed, said: The surge in pickpocketing across London, where 70% of the UKs theft from person incidents occur, is concerning.

Westminster is the worst area for pickpockets and has suffered over 700% increase in reports in the past three years, with most incidents across the city thought to be phone thefts.

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This trend not only affects the sense of safety but also has a detrimental impact on the citys reputation and economy.

He warned Londoners to be extra-vigilant, and use cross-body bags to stop thieves snatching it off shoulders.

If you are carrying more, such as a backpack, keep important belongings, such as a wallet, phone and keys, in a smaller cross-body bag to keep them closer to you, he said.

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