A London-based Hollywood actor has urged the UK government to take stronger action against crime in the capital. Alexander Johnson, who recently starred alongside Jude Law, said he has intervened in multiple muggings and called for more funding for youth initiatives and a more measured response to tragedies.
Johnson, 38, told the Mirror that the 'injustice of attacks get under my skin' and described chasing a bag snatcher in Mayfair and helping a woman retrieve her stolen phone, during which attackers pulled out machetes. He was later mugged himself, suffering a black eye and broken ribs after his £80,000 watch was stolen.
His bravery was praised in Parliament by Labour MP Rachel Blake, who highlighted Operation Echosteep, a 2024 crackdown on phone theft gangs. Johnson said: 'It's a very significant problem that has to be properly addressed.'
London's crime rate was 106.4 per 1,000 people in 2024/25, with theft from the person 4.69 times higher than the national average. Johnson's comments follow high-profile incidents, including BBC presenter Ben Thompson being attacked for his watch and Tom Cruise reportedly leaving London after an armed robbery near his flat.
