One in five Londoners have been a victim of or witnessed a crime but failed to report it over fears it would devalue their property, new research has found.

About 19 per cent of adults living in the capital admit they have been a victim of, or witnessed a crime, but have not reported it to the police, according to a study. 

They fear it would show up on an online police crime map and devalue their property or make it more difficult to rent, the research found.

The study, carried out for Direct Line Home Insurance, found that 1.1 million Londoners, about 17 per cent of those living in the capital, would consider not reporting a crime, or would discourage their neighbour from reporting one because it would show up on an online crime map. 

About 2.6 million Londoners – 36 per cent - would refuse to live in a high crime neighbourhood.

Rebecca Clapham, head of household products at Direct Line, said: “London is in its own property bubble and this has filtered through to how Londoners report crime with some homeowners concerned about doing anything that could devalue their home.” 

“It’s frightening that people are turning a blind eye to crime in the capital with some going unreported as a result. People need to remember that the purpose of a crime map is to analyse crime to help law enforcement and to evaluate crime prevention strategies, not to devalue a property.”

Vehicle crime was the most commonly ignored crime, followed by possession of weapons and then burglary and shoplifting. 

The refusal to live in high crime neighbourhoods could rule out traditionally highly desirable areas such as Westminster, which had a total of 3,906 crimes reported in one month, the highest rate of all of the London boroughs. 

The research found that 32 per cent of respondents would be more accepting of renting or buying in a high crime area if the neighbourhood exhibited signs of gentrification.

According to the study, areas with signs of gentrification like Brixton could be more desirable, despite Lambeth having the second highest crime rate in September 2016, with 2,932 crimes reported in one month.

Over a third of respondents claimed they would insist on paying less for a property if it was in a high crime area, while a similar amount - 39 per cent - would insist on paying less rent.

Reference: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/londoners-ignore-crime-over-fears-it-could-devalue-property-research-finds-a3401341.html

Image: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/londoners-ignore-crime-over-fears-it-could-devalue-property-research-finds-a3401341.html