New partnership announced to tackle West End crime

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Oct 24, 2018

The New West End Company has launched a new initiative to tackle crime in London’s West End area and help protect retailers on Bond, Oxford and Regent Street.

For the first time in the UK, a police force, private sector team and charities will work together to combat crime in one of London’s busiest shopping districts.

It comes after several Regent Street stores, including Watches of Switzerland, Apple, Mappin & Webb and Canada Goose, were targeted by robbers over the last 12 months.

Additionally, the partnership will help tackle issues such as begging, rough sleeping, busking and other criminal activities ahead of the busy Christmas period, when hundreds of thousands of shoppers visit the area to do their Christmas shopping.

“For the first time ever, public services, private sector and charities have come together to provide a tailored, innovative service for London’s number one shopping and leisure destination,” said Dee Corsi, chief operating officer of the New West End Company.

“With the busy festive period approaching, ensuring the safety and comfort of the hundreds of thousands of Christmas shoppers in the West End is a top priority for New West End Company. That’s why we have driven this new collaborative approach which we hope will set the blueprint to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in London’s West End and throughout the capital.”

The new approach will be trialled by a multi-agency team comprising police officers, Westminster Council city inspectors, homeless charity outreach workers and the New West End Company private security team for six months.