The line graph compares the number of serious crimes in London from 2003 to 2012, divided into armed robbery, assault and murder.
Overall, armed robbery fell dramatically over the period, despite being the most common crime at the beginning. By contrast, assault showed a general upward trend and became the leading category from 2007 onwards. Murder remained by far the least frequent offence throughout, with only minor fluctuations.
In 2003, armed robbery stood at about 3,300 cases, considerably higher than assault, at around 2,200, and murder, at just under 500. Armed robbery then rose slightly to a peak of approximately 3,600 in 2004, before declining sharply over the next four years. By 2008, it had fallen to just over 1,000 cases, its lowest point on the graph. After that, the figure recovered modestly to around 1,400 in 2009 and then remained broadly stable until 2012.
Assault followed a different pattern. It fluctuated between roughly 1,900 and 2,300 cases from 2003 to 2009, before rising noticeably to about 2,500 in 2010. After a slight dip in 2011, it reached its highest level, approximately 2,650 cases, in 2012. Murder was comparatively stable, ranging from about 400 to 800 cases, with its peak in 2005 and a final figure of just under 500.