The line graph illustrates the number of serious crimes committed in London between 2003 and 2012, focusing on armed robbery, assault and murder.
Overall, armed robbery showed a dramatic decline over the period, while assault followed a generally upward trend. In contrast, murder remained the least common crime and fluctuated only slightly.
At the beginning of the period in 2003, armed robbery was the most prevalent crime, at approximately 3,300 cases, rising to a peak of around 3,700 in 2004. However, this figure then fell sharply, dropping to about 2,500 by 2006 and plunging to a low of roughly 1,000 in 2008. After this point, the number stabilised and recovered slightly, ending the period at around 1,400 cases in 2012.
Assault figures showed a contrasting pattern. Starting at about 2,200 incidents in 2003, the number fluctuated modestly before dipping to just under 2,000 in 2007 and 2008. From 2009 onward, there was a clear upward trend, with assaults rising steadily to reach approximately 2,700 cases by 2012, making it the most common crime at the end of the period.
Murder consistently remained the least frequent offence. The number increased from about 500 cases in 2003 to nearly 800 in 2005, before declining to around 400-500 for most of the remaining years, finishing at roughly 500 cases in 2012.