Knife crime has surged by 58 per cent in London over three years, with just 20 streets around Oxford Circus and Regent Street accounting for one in every 15 knife attacks across the capital, a damning new report has revealed.
The Policy Exchange think tank report also claims that more than 4,500 prolific offenders walked free from court last year, with the author warning that London is “in the grip of a knife crime, robbery and theft epidemic”.
Ex-Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector David Spencer, who wrote the report, blamed a “cosy consensus between police chiefs and political leaders” that has led to a collapse in proactive policing, particularly stop and search rates.
The report made 17 recommendations to tackle the crisis, including redeploying 850 desk-based officers to the front line and flooding crime hotspots with stop and search patrols.
Call for Tougher Sentences
Policy Exchange called for automatic jail time for prolific offenders and tougher sentences for repeat knife carriers, warning that the current approach is failing to deter criminals.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp backed the tougher line, saying: “The analysis lays bare the scale of the challenge for police chiefs and policy makers alike.
The Conservative MP, who served as Policing Minister until July 2024, has previously criticised what he called the “decriminalisation” of certain crimes in London.
By effectively decriminalising certain crimes in London, we are sending the message that actions do not have consequences and that you are unlikely to be caught if you commit lawlessness,” Philp said at a recent City Hall event.
Oxford Circus Identified as Major Hotspot
The concentration of knife crime around Oxford Circus and Regent Street represents a significant challenge for the Metropolitan Police, with the shopping district’s 20 streets accounting for approximately 6.7 per cent of all knife attacks in the capital.
The area, which attracts millions of tourists and shoppers annually, has become a focal point for violent crime despite its status as one of London’s premier retail destinations.
David Spencer, Policy Exchange’s Head of Crime and Justice and a former detective chief inspector, said the findings showed London was facing an unprecedented crisis.
A cosy consensus between police chiefs and political leaders has led to a collapse in proactive policing, in particular stop and search rates,” Spencer stated in the report.
Rising Violence Across the Capital
Official statistics show knife crime in London reached 14,000 incidents in the year ended 30 September 2023, up 54 per cent from 9,086 incidents in March 2016.
The Metropolitan Police recorded 12,786 knife and sharp object crimes in 2022/23, with the highest peak of 15,928 crimes recorded in 2019/20.
Black Londoners are disproportionately affected, making up 45 per cent of knife murder victims and 61 per cent of perpetrators, according to the London Assembly.
Recommendations for Reform
The Policy Exchange report’s 17 recommendations include immediate deployment of 850 desk-based officers to frontline duties and increased stop and search operations in high-crime areas.
It also calls for automatic custodial sentences for prolific offenders and enhanced penalties for those caught carrying knives repeatedly.
Spencer emphasised the need for a fundamental shift in policing strategy, arguing that current approaches have failed to stem the tide of violent crime.
London is in the grip of a knife crime, robbery and theft epidemic,” he said, calling for urgent action to reverse the trend.
Political Response
The report has reignited debate about policing strategies in the capital, with critics arguing that reduced stop and search has emboldened criminals.
Philp, appointed Shadow Home Secretary in November 2024, has been vocal about the need for more robust policing measures.
At a February 2025 event launching a report on London’s theft epidemic, Philp stated: “With a phone now stolen every six minutes in the capital, we cannot simply sit back and allow London’s epidemic of theft and criminality to grow larger still.
Wider Crime Context
The knife crime surge comes as overall crime on London’s transport network hit record highs, with almost 80,000 offences recorded in 2023/24.
Violent crimes and sex offences have doubled in the last ten years, with overall crime levels up 55 per cent on a decade earlier.
The capital recorded 252,545 violent crime offences in 2023/24, an increase from the previous year, according to Office for National Statistics data.
Call for Action
Policy Exchange’s report represents the latest intervention in the ongoing debate about how to tackle London’s knife crime crisis.
The think tank, which has previously published reports on policing and crime, argues that without immediate action, the situation will continue to deteriorate.
Spencer, who joined Policy Exchange in April 2022 after serving as a Metropolitan Police officer since 2003, brings frontline experience to his analysis of the crisis.
The report’s findings are likely to increase pressure on both the Metropolitan Police and political leaders to implement more effective strategies to combat knife crime in the capital.
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