Croydon police claim they are winning the war on street crime after recording a 41 per cent reduction in robberies.

Figures for July show there were 109 street robberies in the borough, compared with 185 reported offences for the same month last year.

Superintendent Nick Jupp said: "Street crime remains a high priority for Croydon. We have run a number of successful operations specifically aimed at reducing street crime in the borough.

"These operations have begun to make a significant difference and have assisted with the continued decrease in robbery in this borough. The vast majority of street crime involves stolen mobile phones and the majority of victims are youths.

"With the start of the school term we are working closely with both schools and the local council. The purpose of this latest campaign is to raise awareness to both pupils and parents that mobile phones are in many cases a target for robbers."