The line graph illustrates the total number of incidents across three major crime categories – armed robbery, assault, and murder – in London over a nine-year period from 2003 to 2012.
Overall, murder remained consistently the least frequent crime throughout the entire timeframe with virtually no change in numbers. In contrast, figures for armed robbery and assault experienced significant fluctuation, with robbery eventually becoming the most prominent crime by the end of the period.
In 2003, assault recorded the highest number of cases at approximately 3,400, whereas armed robbery was lower, standing at just under 2,500 incidents. Over the following two years, assault cases steadily declined, dropping below 2,000 in 2005. Conversely, armed robbery experienced a sharp rise, peaking at around 3,800 incidents in 2005 and surpassing assault as the most prevalent crime.
From 2005 onward, both assault and armed robbery followed a fluctuating downward trajectory. Assault plummeted to a low of roughly 1,100 cases in 2008 before slightly recovering to plateau near 1,500 from 2010 to 2012. Similarly, armed robbery figures fell steadily to about 2,200 in 2008, followed by a minor recovery to finish at approximately 2,400 in 2012. Throughout the entire 2003-2012 period, murder figures remained minimal and virtually unchanged, staying close to zero (never exceeding 100 cases per year).