00:01Hello. Yes, arrests for antisocial behaviour in London has risen by a third compared with last year.
00:09That's according to data released by the Metropolitan Police.
00:13Between June and August, officers made more than 1,300 arrests across 20 of the city's identified hotspots.
00:22Among those detained was a suspected shoplifter who prosecutors alleged committed 113 offences in Waltham Forest within a 10-day period,
00:34as well as a man who was discovered in Tower Hamlets carrying seven stolen mobile phones as well.
00:41Now, the Met Police has explained that it had analysed crime data to pinpoint 20 town centres in London and high streets as well,
00:49facing the greatest problems with antisocial behaviour, which includes shoplifting and street crime like mobile phone theft.
00:59So then, have Londoners noticed an increase in antisocial behaviour?
01:03Have they noticed an increase in police presence?
01:06And do they think the police are doing well enough in stepping up their efforts to tackle it?
01:11I think the number doesn't really surprise me, just like it's noticeable here in the shops how common it is.
01:16I think it's a mixture of the cost of living, but also largely lack of enforcement.
01:22I think as supermarkets like this one here have gone towards having automated checkouts, there's less staff and I guess probably less resistance to people shoplifting.
01:31The cost of living is a big issue and that will be driving a lot of it.
01:35I think, you know, wages haven't kept pace with inflation and, you know, the more and more those prices go up, the more desperate people become.
01:47Yeah, I think there's a lack of consequences and a lack of enforcement of it is a big, big factor as well.
01:53I think also there's an issue of gangs and wanting to, like, procure products for their, I guess, for funding themselves.
02:04So it might pressurise some people, lower down their ranks to go and shoplift for them.
02:10I think there needs to be more police presence on the streets, walking the streets, community police officers, more awareness of them.
02:20Youth centres, it's all about the youth at times.
02:24But yeah, more youth centres can be done, more for the young.
02:27But the young have to engage themselves.
02:31When we talk about young, we talk about teenagers.
02:33They're quite apt of going out, hanging around on the streets.
02:37So they're quite apt of finding things to do for themselves.
02:40You know, they're quite, youth today are intelligent kids, youngsters.
02:45So they have to take responsibility for themselves as well.
02:48It's not just about government.
02:50The youngsters have to take and be aware of their own surroundings,
02:54where they are impacted on their own communities.
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