Have you been a victim of crime in the last year or two or have you witnessed a crime?

[EvangelicalAboutButteredToast]

I was just thinking if a current thread that talked about crime data suggesting crime is down and I was highly skeptics of that. If you are based in the U.K. have you been a victim of crime or witnessed a crime in the last two years?

I’ve witnessed quite a lot of shop lifting. Fairly blatant with adults getting kids to put stuff in their pockets on one of the occasions. Personally I’ve had my phone taken and when I tried to get it back I was pushed around and threatened. Can’t think of anything else, but my perception of the possibility of crime happening to me or about my person had heightened. I’m much more vigilant and most likely paranoid. Keep my bag very close to me with the zip into my body for example.

That's mad 🤯

Harassment caused by being falsely accused of shoplifting in WH Smith and then the shop assistant posting more lies on social media along with laughing emojis. They are obviously so desperate for staff that they dont give a shit about gross misconduct.

Friends phones being stolen central london, constant blatant shoplifting in rural nice area of kent on at least 20 occasions. Stabbing drug related in street. Several young lads been attacked walking home late at night. friends sister works in mayfair has seen several men have watches ripped off their wrists. Im very wary in london now in a way that i wasnt pre pandemic. The vibe isnt great there anymore.

I've seen people smoking weed if that counts (I didn't really think of it as a crime at the time tbh, though I suppose it technically is).

Through my work (compliance) I've seen illegal employment of people without the right to work in the UK.

Both crimes that are unlikely to reach the crime stats.

Otherwise no.

I live and work in central London and I haven’t seen a crime or been the victim of a crime in the last 20 years. In 2005 my partner left the living room window open of our ground floor flat overnight and somebody came in and stole our PlayStation.

Yes, I'm in inner London and I've had 2 child's scooters stolen (on separate occasions) and a debit card stolen, within the last 12 months. I never bothered reporting the scooters, it didn't actually occur to me to do so as I didn't expect anything would be done. It was my bank who alerted me to the debit card theft as the thieves had gone on a spending spree and it didn't match my pattern of spending. So the bank was refunded me immediately and I didn't report it to the police afterwards as it was dealt with as far as I was concerned.

I am in central London all the time but I've never witnessed a phone snatching or shoplifting - I'm aware that it goes on and I'm very vigilant (and I feel an enormous weight lifted when I'm on holiday elsewhere and realise I can check maps and email on the move without worrying about it).

I work in a hospital and there are cafes and shops the amount of times I have saw patients walk out without paying!! There are no security guards for them but there are hospital security guards but they can’t help!

I have also seen a lot of shoplifting in my area, I was once inside a coop over the road from my house and a lady walked in went to the first fridge grabbed loads of different meat and walked out no one tried to stop her I heard one of the workers saying the meat lady’s just been in again!!

No and I don’t know anyone across friends, family or close colleagues that have either

No and No. South London.

I don't think crime has increased at all, but the tabloid press is really pushing that narrative. I've seen so many sensationalist headlines in my facebook feed saying something like 'students traumatised by gunman at school' and you click into read it and the school was locked down for 15 minutes while the police followed up reports of a gunman nearby, who they never found. Yesterday's headlines- 'police swarm London Bridge as it goes into lockdown over threat' and the police closed 2 out of of 15 platforms following up a call of a suspicious individual before deciding all was fine. It makes me so angry they are playing up fears for clicks. The comments are full of people saying 'what is this world coming to' but these things have always happened as part of routine police enquiries.

If you are feeling this way, I suggest examining the media you are consuming. GB news, Daily Mail, Mirror, Sun etc. are doing this for engagement. It's essentially rage bait. They want you worried, scared and consuming their content. Every non fatal drug dealer knife shuffle gets headlines now. It is not good for your mental health and a lot of what they are giving you is fluff and mirrors. Find a factual only news source (sky, BBC etc.) and you'll feel a lot better reading things without the sensationalist over the top language.