The largest number of robberies are committed in London and the capital has the highest robbery rate (robbery offences per thousand population). London rates are four times that of most regions in England and Wales and only Birmingham gets close with half the rate of London.
While we are busy reporting the number of offences and rates it is rare that we hear why these numbers are so high in London, and particular parts of London like, Lambeth, Newham, Southwark, Haringey, Brent and Westminster (although Westminster has the highest robbery rate it has a small resident population with a large transient population who enter the borough for work and pleasure that impacts on crime rates).
Given the massive surge in robbery to end of June 2011, and the greatest volume of offences per month for over 5 years, it is about time we opened up a conversation about robbery.
Who gets robbed, who robs and why do they rob?
Why the massive jump in personal robbery from August 2010 (2280 recorded offences) to June 2011 (3514 recorded offences) ?
raw data
Lets start with the profile of robbery offenders in London, they tend to be:
Victims are split into two main groups:
Robbery Spikes:
Launching a 6 week robbery reduction operation in June (similar to the current Metropolitan Police Operation Target) is a little cynical because you are virtually guaranteed reductions going into end of July…. I think this is called closing the gate after the horse has bolted.
Weapon:
It would useful to hear views on what you think motivate these offences.
some US robbery research
People may live in poor areas but no one really starves anymore, the poor have big televisions, x-boxes, designer gear and mobile phones. Robbery isn’t to make cash to survive the streets its to get things that are wanted not needed.
The latest mobile phone is wanted, the coolest trainers or Gucci belt, greed for stupid stuff to feed an ego.
Its not for the money its for your mates and for the rush of getting away with it.
These people who threaten people for cash or phones are committing acts of violence that have a massive impact on peoples lives. I moved out of Lambeth after I got robbed it frightened me so much.
Maybe you should read
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmhaff/181/181i.pdf
It contains information in relation some of the factors that may contribute to these high number of robbery offenders in teh Black community.
Over half of Black children living in single parent households may have a lot to do with it.
So what do you do with your mates? A bit of hanging around and robbing makes the time go quick and is a buzz. After you have done a robbery running away and that edge you get when you think that you might get caught is better than anything else. Sometimes you end up with something worth nothing other times it can be really expensive, either way you take you chances and even if what you pick up is shit you can find someone to hand it on to for a fiver or something
How much of a rush is it when you ruin your life and someone elses. Youre just not thinking about any consequences.
No opportunities or hope and we are learning that it is pointless even to dream things can get better. No chance of getting out of the estates and rich old men and women in government trying to take every little penny from people like my mum who has looked after me all by herself for 15 years. Sh*t man no wonder i get angry and when some person is stupid enough to walk on the street showing off how much they have
I have just read Kathy’s comment in the teenage murder thread and agree with much she he said.
I think everyone now recognises that poor areas suffer the most robberies and black young people are over represented in the offender and victim figures. These poorer (not poor) kids are stealing from other poorer kids – not the rich and wealthy – because they think that they can get away with it and if they started picking on the rich then the police might be pushed into doing something about it.
This situation of the poor stealing from the poor, temporarily insulates the wealthy and they think that they can leave the deprived “ghetto” areas to terrorise each other. This is the situation happening right now with this coalition government, who look like they get huge satisfaction from withdrawing services from poor areas, knowing they and the people they care about are safely tucked up out of harms way in the suburbs or rural areas.
The thing about London and other urban areas is that the children of the wealthy keep being drawn to its vibrancy and energy, then end up getting mugged or horror upon horror facing some of the dangers when they pop in for a visit, that the poorer kids suffer everyday on their journey to and from school.
These dangers also start to seep or spill over into more affluent areas until what was mainly a problem for black “ghetto” areas becomes a growing feature for Kensington, Chealsea and as recently demonstrated by the murder of Yemurai Kanyangarara on the 1st of July, suburban conservative Bexley.
It’s only when the likes of well off Fiona or master William end up getting mugged or stabbed that those in power start to say things have gotten out of hand and start pumping resources around enforcement back into the inner city. And as soon as the situation becomes a little bit more manageable that money is then taken away again.
Those in power think they are completely immune from any consequence and the damage being done by directing resources and opportunity away from the poor areas to richer areas of the country. They seem proud to re-establish a postcode lottery of provision rather than closing the gaps in opportunity, safety and wellbeing. Well they are not immune and it may not be today or even next month but pretty soon the harm they are inflicting on deprived areas will come knocking at their own door, possibly late at night from a police officer informing them that their own children have been robbed at knife-point or have been stabbed and left bleeding in some dark corner.
I wouldn’t wish that scenario on anyone but that is the situation this coalition government seems so intent on bequeathing to us.