The Office for National Statistics said knife offences rose by 23 per cent in the capital
STABBINGS are on the rise as new figures show a surge in violent crime across the UK.
But how many took place in London and how much have they increased by? We take a look at the statistics.
How many stabbings took place in London and other Brit regions over the last year?
There were 37,443 recorded knife offences and 6,694 recorded gun offences in the year up to September 2017.
In London the problem was even more pronounced than the rest of the country, with 12,980 knife crimes taking place in the capital - 2,452 more than the equivalent year.
Four teenagers were stabbed to death in London on New Year's Eve alone, bringing the total number of stabbing deaths in the capital to 80.
Commander Neil Jerome of the Met's territorial policing command condemned the crimes, saying the four families had lost a loved one to "senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons".
A shocking night of violence took place on February 20, 2018, with six people reportedly stabbed in one night in North London.
Are stabbings on the rise?
Knife crime across the country has risen by a staggering 21 per cent in the 12 months to September 2017, according to quarterly figures released by the Office of National Statistics.
Stabbings in London are at their highest level in six years, with a 23 per cent rise from the previous year.
Overall, crime had continued to fall in England and Wales, consistent with the general trend since the mid-1990s.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested after a recent knife attack in Camden, which killed two men and left another injured.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “These statistics show the terrible repercussions around the country of a Government that has been desperately weak on crime for the last eight years, as well as weak on the causes of crime.
“The most violent crimes, including knife crime, are rising across England & Wales. This is clearly a national problem that requires national solutions.
"The Government must urgently increase funding for the police as well as restoring funding for the services that provide alternative paths away from crime, such as youth services, education, probation and mental health services.”