Summer in London City: a guide to staying safe

The sun is here and it’s finally starting to feel a little like Summer in London City. City centers will be filling up with crowds of people, seeking to enjoy a wide range of entertainment on offer. Therefore, it is no surprise that summer is an attractive season for thieves wanting to capitalize on the crowd increase and prey on tourists, who might be unfamiliar with the city.

London is a relatively safe city. The UK is listed as 57th out of 163 on the ranking of the safest and most dangerous countries with the biggest risk purported to be pickpocketing. Therefore it is always best to be cautious if you value your possessions.

We have put together some basic tips for how to stay safe whilst enjoying a day out in London to ensure you are doing all you can to protect your valuables and yourselves from opportunistic criminals.

Walking about

• Avoid wearing loud or expensive jeweler – especially if it draws attention.
• Hide cameras, mobile phones and other valuables in a bag or hidden, zipped compartment of your clothing when walking around the city, especially in highly crowded areas.
• Do not store your mobile phone in your back pocket.
• Avoid talking on your mobile phone, texting or taking selfies in the street, especially by the curb where you may fall victim to moped thieves.
• Try to avoid walking alone at night and keep to well-lit main roads.
• Beware of wearing headphones, as they reduce your awareness of what and who is around you.

Transport

• Only use Black Cabs or registered minicabs. If in doubt, the Black Cab is one of the easiest identifiable cab and will give you reassurance for your safety. Alternatively, London in known for having a top tier public transport system in the world, which is much significantly more cost-effective for covering more of the city quickly.
• Plan your route before you leave. the TFL provides a website to easily access schedules for busses and the tube or an application for street maps, such as Google Maps.

Bags

• Keep your handbag closed or zipped, and your wallet in an inside pocket and not in the rear pocket of your trousers.
• Only carry your essentials for the day – leave as many valuables as you can locked away or in your hotel or apartment safe.
• When sitting at a bar, restaurant or on a public bench, or if relaxing in a park, for example, ensure that you hook a handle of your bag around your wrist or even a chair leg to avoid it being quickly snatched from under you.
• Don’t leave your bag unattended anywhere in London – this can lead to a serious security alert.

Money

Avoid carrying large sums of cash with you and keep your purse or wallet close to your body at all times.

Exchange your currency at a bank or at the hotel, not on the street.

When using a cashpoint, check that no one is standing near you and that the ATM hasn’t been tampered with, Often firmly gripping the card insert slot and giving it a strong shake will reveal any tampering devices on the machine.

Cover the keypad with your alternating hand so no one can see your PIN number.

Separating your cash… keeping it in different places to avoid any large amount being taken if you do become a victim or pickpocketing.

Emergency contacts

For Non Emergency crimes or accidents you can call 101 to report it.

For more serious crimes and emergencies, you can call 999 or 112 for the police, ambulance, or fire service.
For staying safe or emergencies, you can call  02039500589 for the Private Security Company London.

London is an amazing city with an abundance of experiences to be had. By following this advice, you can be sure to enjoy it without worry!