• Business chief Devin Narang raised fears about hovering crime within the UK capital
• He warned Labour’s shadow international secretary David Lammy at a summit 

Indian chief executives are feeling too scared to go to London in case they’re hit by Mayfair Rolex robbers as Britain and New Delhi haggle over a post-Brexit commerce deal.

Business chief Devin Narang has raised issues about crime ranges within the UK capital laying aside potential traders – particularly watch thefts in upmarket areas.

The renewable vitality entrepreneur used a go to by Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy to warn about CEOs’ rising fears about Britain.

Mr Narang stated: ‘People are being mugged within the coronary heart of London, in Mayfair – all CEOs in India have had an expertise of bodily mugging and the police not responding.’ 

The warning got here as British and Indian officers proceed to deliberate over a long-delayed new commerce deal following the UK’s 2016 determination to give up the European Union.

Mr Lammy has been in India’s capital New Delhi for talks and held a gathering with main businesspeople, the place the crime fears had been raised yesterday.

London’s road crime epidemic final yr noticed ‘theft from an individual’ offences – which incorporates stealing watches, purses and cellphones – soar by 27 per cent in comparison with the earlier 12 months.

Metropolitan Police figures present there have been 72,756 of these crimes reported within the yr to 2023, up from 57,468 in 2022.

And London’s Westminster district – which incorporates well-heeled Mayfair – noticed such crimes leap by an above-average 40 per cent, with 25,650 relatively than 18,310. 

Moped and e-bike gangs have been recognized as prolific culprits.

Mr Narang advised the Financial Times: ‘Indians do carry costly issues, however the police not responding is a matter of concern.

‘London is a strolling metropolis – you don’t need to look over your shoulder on a regular basis. You don’t need to go to a metropolis the place you’re prone to be mugged within the streets.

‘It doesn’t make you’re feeling comfy. You can stroll wherever in Delhi and also you gained’t be mugged.’

He claimed the police had been usually bored with such crimes or had been gradual to reply.

A spokesperson for London mayor Sadiq Khan stated: ‘The Met have stepped up their response to robberies – that are rising nationally – and have specialist groups out proactively concentrating on probably the most prolific offenders and theft hotspots.’

Mr Lammy confirmed crime in London had been raised a number of occasions throughout his Indian go to – however insisted ‘safety and combating crime’ could be key priorities for Labour.

Downing Street has stated bilateral commerce deal talks between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his India counterpart Narendra Modi had been moving ‘at pace’.

Previous hold-ups are stated to have concerned issues over the variety of UK working visas given to Indians and the British automobile trade’s entry to India’s market.

There had been greater than 300 watches stolen within the West End alone price a complete of practically £4million within the six months to October 2022.

In April that yr former British boxing champion Amir Khan was accosted by a gunman who made off with his custom-made £72,000 watch as he left a restaurant in east London.

And final July a machete-wielding teenager additionally targeted broadcaster and former chorister Aled Jones, taking his £17,000 Rolex.

Scotland Yard revealed final month how a squad of undercover officers posing as victims carried out an unprecedented sting to seize the so-called Rolex Rippers liable for a spate of violent watch muggings throughout the capital. 

Plain-clothed officers volunteered to exit sporting precious timepieces after evaluation confirmed thieves have a tendency to focus on well-heeled victims leaving pubs and golf equipment between 11pm and 4am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Soho, additionally a part of the Westminster district.

Over two operations, which ran from October 2022 to December 2022 and March 2023 to October 2023, 27 folks had been arrested and subsequently charged. 

Of these, 21 had been convicted – with 14 sentenced to a complete of 26 years in jail.