Off the tracks! Public transport 'crime wave' fears as robbery soars by 136% and sexual offences 17% since before Covid

By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 12:43, 25 April 2026 | Updated: 12:49, 25 April 2026 Cases of robbery have soared by 136 per cent on public transport since before the Covid pandemic amid fears of a 'crime wave' across Britain's network. Data from the House of Commons Library showed there were 1,663 cases of robbery recorded by British Transport Police in 2024/25 - up from 705 in 2018/19. Over the same period, theft offences rose from 28,193 to 37,172 - an increase of 32 per cent - while hate crime incidents were up by 30 per cent (3,558 to 4,624). There was also a 17 per cent increase in sexual offences, from 1,894 in 2018/19 to 2,220 in 2024/25. Cases of harssment fell by 8 per cent over the period from 145 to 134. The Liberal Democrats, who analysed the data, are calling on the Government to ensure more police officers are regularly patrolling public transport in order to combat the 'utterly shocking' scale of crime. They highlighted how past research by the University of Cambridge, together with British Transport Police, had found short bursts of patrolling at the most crime-ridden London Underground stations led to a 28 per cent reduction in reported crime. The study found that 97 per cent of the resulting crime reduction was during periods when police weren't actually present. Researchers pointed to a 'phantom effect' created by the 15-minute patrols occurring four times a day. Data from the House of Commons Library showed there were 1,663 cases of robbery recorded by British Transport Police in 2024/25 - up from 705 in 2018/19 Lib Dem MP Max Wilkinson, the party's home affairs spokesman, said: 'The scale of crime happening every day on our public transport system is utterly shocking. 'Whether it's children heading to school on the bus or commuters travelling to work on the train, nobody should be forced to worry about having their phone stolen, being threatened or facing abuse. 'The Government needs to get a grip on this crisis and restore order across the network. 'The solution is obvious - more police regularly patrolling public transport. Sadly, the Government is dragging its heels and too many people are suffering as a result.' Olly Glover MP, the party's transport spokesman, added: 'We need to bring an end to this epidemic now, and restore people's faith in the safety of our buses, train stations and trams.' British Transport Police, who police Britain's railways, recorded 26 crimes per million passenger journeys across 2024/25. A spokesman said: 'It's important to contextualise that the chance of being a victim of crime on the railway is extremely low, and the vast majority of journeys are made without incident. 'Robbery rates have fallen for a second consecutive year on the network in London following targeted and intensified police activity – decreasing by a significant 35 per cent over two years in the winter months when robbery rates are typically at their highest. 'We also know an increase in sexual offence reports over the years is partly down to our increased efforts to raise awareness of the behaviour we want to hear about and how to report it. 'More victims are having the confidence to report this type of offending to us, knowing they will be believed and taken seriously. 'Every day we have teams of officers patrolling stations and trains in plain clothes, so whether you see us or not, we are there keeping everyone on the railway safe.  'Passengers are urged to report all crime to us by texting 61016, or calling 999 in an emergency.' A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'Everyone has the right to travel without fear. 'That's why the British Transport Police's budget is being boosted by 15 per cent over the next three years to recruit over 200 extra officers and build on the fact more than eight in ten passengers currently tell us they feel safe travelling by train. 'On top of this, the rate of crime on the railways fell again last year by 3 per cent, despite a 7 per cent increase in passenger journeys.' The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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