Knife crime is increasing at a higher rate in the Home Counties and rural areas of the UK than in London, according to new data. Kent has seen the biggest rise since April 2010, with a 152 per cent increase, while London has experienced only an 11 per cent rise.
Across 34 counties in England and Wales outside London, knife-related offences have risen by 45.7 per cent, as reported by The Guardian. The trend is linked to county lines drug trafficking, where urban gangs expand into rural areas.
Dr Rick Muir of the Police Foundation noted that previously, drug dealers in places like Margate or Blackpool were local, but now organised criminal gangs from big cities are exporting drugs directly into these areas. This shift is driving the increase in knife crime outside major urban centres.
Recent high-profile stabbings, including 17-year-old Jodie Chesney in Romford and Yousef Makki in Greater Manchester, have highlighted the issue. There have been 26 knife murders across the UK from January 1 to March 7 this year, compared to 135 homicides in London alone in 2018.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid is calling for more funding to tackle knife crime, while Theresa May and Met Commissioner Cressida Dick have clashed over whether police officer reductions have contributed to the problem. The number of officers in England and Wales has fallen by over 20,000 since 2009.
