Mayor of London, police, business unite for safer winter nights

The Mayor of London, Metropolitan Police and partners are working together to keep everyone safe after dark, particularly at popular Christmas hotspots.

Hundreds of extra additional officers will be on patrol after dark working closely with local businesses and councils to protect shoppers, retail workers, and everyone enjoying a night out.

Areas with higher footfall will see targeted police operations alongside plain clothes and high visibility patrols. Police and partners will work together to identify and go after prolific shoplifters, tackle anti-social behaviour quickly and bear down on all male violence against women and girls.  

This kind of approach has helped bring down crime in London’s West End by more than 25 per cent since April.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Nowhere compares to London at Christmas and with just 12 days left until the big day, our high streets, retailers, pubs, bars and restaurants are set for some roaring trade.

“I’ve been out with officers today to see how they’re working with local businesses and communities to ensure everyone out and about shopping, attending a Christmas party or meeting friends for a drink is safe after dark on their night out.

“My record investment in the Met means more officers are visible on our streets and working with retailers and local businesses to drive down neighbourhood crime with 16,000 fewer offences across the capital in the last year. Positive outcomes for shoplifting have also improved dramatically thanks to better partnership work and collaboration. Policing in the West End has also doubled helping to drive thefts down by 25 per cent. I’ll continue to do all I can working with businesses, communities and the police to build on these reductions and deliver a safer London, Christmas and 2026 for everyone.” 

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Louise Puddefoot, leading the Met's Winter Nights operation, said: “Communities have told us they value highly visible and locally focused policing, and we aim to provide that with this operation.  It is really important to us that both the local community, and people visiting the shops, bars and clubs in this city, feel safe and are able to enjoy themselves during the festive period.  We are committed to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour across the capital, and are deploying local teams with specialist resources, such as live facial recognition, traffic interceptors and our e-bike teams, to target criminality in town centres.

"Arrests in the hotspot areas were up 34 per cent and crime was down 18 per cent during a similar operation over the summer and into autumn. We will continue to work with partners to focus resources on tackling the issues that most affect our neighbourhoods – such as violence, sexual offences, retail crime, phone theft, and the dangerous and criminal use of e-bikes and e-scooters."