Recent trends on the Tube have shown a worrying rise in criminal activities, with muggers targeting passengers for their high-end Canada Goose and North Face puffer jackets, valued at £1,500 or more, along with other valuable possessions like smartphones and Airpods.

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Transport for London's Director of Security, Policing, and Enforcement, Siwan Hayward, highlighted a sharp rise what she labelled "acquisitive crime," encompassing thefts and pickpocketing, as the primary driver behind the overall surge in crime rates on the Underground.

Statistics reported by news outlet The Standard unveiled a huge increase in offenses, recording 10,836 incidents between April and September this year, in stark contrast to 6,294 reported during the same period the previous year.

Addressing the concerning trend, Ms. Hayward emphasised the targeted nature of these thefts, pinpointing Airpods, smartphones, and branded coats, particularly Canada Goose and selected North Face items, as prime objectives for robbery. She expressed deep apprehension about the safety implications, especially for young individuals traversing the network.

When speaking on the severity of the issue, she confirmed that the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police were aware of the problem and, when robberies occurred, CCTV images were quickly and widely shared in a bid to catch and prosecute offenders and ban them from travelling in the future.

However she was quick to play down the significance of the rise in crime, alleging that media reports of what she called “London’s lawless Underground” were “simplistic”.

She said the reality was that crime had “plummeted” during the pandemic and was now returning to “normal” levels.