Australians warned to stay away from London by terrified residents as cost of living crisis continues and violent crime rises: ‘It’s the worst it’s ever been’

Australian travellers have been warned to avoid London as street crime and the cost of living crisis spiral out of control.

The city has been criticised as ‘unsafe’ by seasoned travellers, with even Britons taking to social media to say they no longer feel at home there.

And according to police, it’s more than ‘a feeling’. Every six minutes, a phone is snatched from someone’s hand, pocket or bag, with 8,500 stolen in January alone.

A young woman took to TikTok to express her dismay at the decline of London and mourn the city she grew up in.

“I think this is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced in my life in the city,” she said.

According to the woman, Londoners pay ‘drills’ to live there and face violent crime ‘right on’ their doorstep.

Others were quick to agree that the city in distress “will destroy itself within ten years.”

‘I moved to Spain and didn’t realise how bad London was until I left. It’s hell. Get out,’ another woman urged.

London residents are warning people to stay away due to the cost of living and a spike in crime. Every six minutes a phone is snatched from someone’s hand, pocket or bag, with 8,500 stolen in January alone (stock image)

“I was born and raised in London and my God it takes its toll,” agreed a third.

Even regular visitors have had enough of the city on the Thames.

“I’ve been here for almost seven years. I’m ready to leave now. Especially after the pandemic, it doesn’t feel quite the same,” one woman said on Reddit.

Another Londoner said he has called the city home for six years and moved to the more exclusive neighbourhoods to stay out of trouble, but even those areas have become unsafe.

‘I’ve lived in what people call the best/richest areas of London and crime is so rampant here. It’s not even a joke and it’s more and more prevalent these days. I hear police passing my house every day now, whereas before it was only once a fortnight,’ he complained.

He added that his house had recently been broken into, proving that crime is increasingly spreading to the wealthier streets.

A Melbourne Redditor who calls himself “pretty smart” and claims he “hasn’t lost a valuable possession in 30 years” had his phone stolen while waiting for an Uber at London’s Gatwick Airport.

The thief arrived on a moped, bumped into the man and snatched his phone from his hand.

“I still don’t know how to express my disappointment at this situation, and the depth of my sense of loss and anger,” the Australian tourist said.

Moped gangs are everywhere in the city. Every day, hundreds of moped gangs seize the devices of people walking through the streets.

A young woman took to TikTok to express her frustrations over London’s steep decline and mourn the city she grew up in. “I think this is the worst thing the city has ever seen in my life,” she said (stock image)

A woman who grew up in the city felt for the man — and for the other 100,000 people whose phones are taken away every year.

“Every time I walked out onto the street I felt constant fear, so I left and my mental health improved immediately,” she said.

Returning visitors are also postponing their return plans.

‘I couldn’t wait to get back to London when the world opened up – but the reality was terrifying. I was told not to talk to strangers, keep my phone out of sight and be vigilant at all times,’ added one Australian woman.

“I’m in London now, visiting. If I had to live here, it would kill me,” said one tourist.

‘I went there recently and was terrified. So many scary incidents in London! And I’m a seasoned traveller who rarely gets into trouble,’ added one woman.

Violent crime in the city is linked to rising living costs, which are crippling the population, according to research from the London School of Economics.

When the cost of living rose 10 percent, the number of reported crimes increased 8 percent, school data shows.

The high cost of living in the city is another reason people are advised to stay away.

“Inflation has hit the UK much harder than Australia, and so far Australia appears to be slowly sliding into recession while the UK is taking a big dive,” warned one Australian in London on Reddit.

Others were quick to agree, with one man agreeing that in the past two years of living in London, his grocery bill had gone up by 30-50 percent, his rent by 10-15 percent, his lunch by 30 percent, and his transport by 10 percent.

But his salary had only increased by eight percent.

The dire warnings and reports of violent crime and high living costs enraged other city-dwellers.

“I love living here, I travel a lot and am always relieved when I come back,” said one woman.

‘I moved from Australia to London and was able to be myself for the first time in my life. It’s amazing,’ said another.

One Australian who has no regrets about his move said: ‘I’ve lived here for 20 years and every time I cross one of the central bridges over the Thames my heart skips a beat.’

Others urged people to “get to know the city for themselves” before “getting lost in crime stories and hysteria.”