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Crime Watch: Monthly Policing & Community Action Roundup 

Crime Watch: Monthly Policing & Community Action Roundup

Each month we share a snapshot of the community support, crime prevention and enforcement work in the West End.

HOLBA, The Met’s Town Centre Team and the West End Police Team, Westminster City Council’s City Inspectors, Safer Business Network and HOLBA’s My Local Bobby, all work collaboratively with a commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all who work, visit and live in the West End.

Crime enforcement over the Christmas and New Year period 

The festive season brings an influx of new visitors, and My Local Bobby (MLB) played a key role in maintaining safety. Here’s a brief round-up of some of the actions and outcomes:

  • Theft prevention: Three suspects were detained in two separate phone theft cases. Recovered items, including a phone, bank card, and cash, were returned to victims, with evidence under review for private prosecution.
  • Bike recovery: On Christmas Eve, MLB detained a suspected bike thief, identified via CCTV while attempting to sell the stolen bike. He was later arrested for multiple offences.
  • Safeguarding vulnerable individuals: MLB intervened in a physical altercation, protecting a vulnerable woman and restraining the attacker until police arrived.
  • Arrests involving knives: Eight individuals were detained following reports of armed suspects, with four arrested.
  • New Year’s Eve: Officers responded to six incidents involving vulnerable women, resulting in one arrest.

Key arrest

A prolific thief known to the West End was this month sentenced for more than four years, following a spate of burglaries. Michael Daulat had amassed 100 convictions for 210 offenses across the last two decades, the majority which involving theft. Most recently Daulat had been targeting high-end boutiques, seeking jewellery, designer handbags, and clothing.

Full report from The Standard: www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/london-west-end-burglaries-thief-miller-harris-marylebone-soho-b1203596.html

Good news for The Met – out of special measures

HOLBA congratulates the Metropolitan Police on ongoing efforts to restore public trust and confidence. Since being placed under His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) ‘Engage’ monitoring in 2022, the Met has made significant improvements under the A New Met for London plan. Following two and half years of intensive work, improvements are recognised in areas including call handling, child exploitation, public protection, workforce planning, culture and counter-corruption. This has resulted in HMICFRS removing the Met from ‘Engage’ entirely in this month. The Inspectorate has recognised that the A New Met for London plan is achieving results, and the Met no longer requires increased scrutiny and oversight.

‘At Your Service’ award for outstanding community dedication

HOLBA is proud to announce that Mary O’Connor, Westminster Neighbourhood Coordinator, was a worthy runner-up at the Mayfair Times Award 2025 in the ‘At Your Service’ category. Mary embodies the true spirit of service, always going the extra mile to support local businesses and address their concerns. Her dedication and professionalism makes a real difference in the Heart of London area. Businesses of the West End will recognise and rely on her unwavering commitment and will agree that this accolade is well-deserved.

Pedicabs

For over ten years, HOLBA has campaigned for the regulation and licensing of pedicabs and last April the Pedicabs (London) Act gave Transport for London the powers it needed to create these regulations (including licensing). On Tuesday 28 January, TfL launched the consultation to help shape how these regulations and a licensing scheme would work in practice. Until this new piece of regulation comes into being we have been assured that the Met Police & Council will continue with local tasking operations to address noise pollution and footway obstruction. HOLBA will be responding on behalf of its members, but we would also urge all businesses in central London to respond by the deadline of 7 March.

Crime Watch: Monthly Policing & Community Action Roundup