The morning case file
London Crime Briefing
Significant incidents, hearings, outcomes and public-data changes across the capital.
Topic
stopandsearch
7 stories, newest first.
Policing · GreenwichWoolwich stabbing victim's father backs stop and search
The father of Leo Marcus, who was fatally stabbed in Woolwich in 2019, has described stop and search as an essential police tactic. His comments come as the Metropolitan Police report a fall in knife-enabled crime across London.
Greenwich3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Policing · LondonMet Police stop and search find rate hits 36% record high in July 2026
The Metropolitan Police recorded its highest-ever stop and search find rate in July 2026, with 36% of searches uncovering criminal activity. The force conducted 20% more searches over the past year, alongside a 20% drop in serious violent offences and a 27% fall in lethal gunshot victims.
London5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65
Crime Data · LondonLondon homicide rate falls to 1.1 per 100,000 as stop and search finds rise
London’s homicide rate dropped to 1.1 per 100,000 people in 2025, the lowest since records started, the Metropolitan Police reported. Stop and search operations in July 2026 found evidence in 36% of cases, the highest rate on record.
London5 min readTrust 86 · Craft 87 · Hype 55- Policing · London
Stop and search finds evidence in 36% of London searches, Met reports
The Metropolitan Police recorded its highest-ever stop and search detection rate in July, with officers finding weapons, drugs or other evidence in 36% of searches. The force says reforms, including virtual reality training and community oversight, are improving both effectiveness and public trust in Barnet and beyond.
London5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 72 · Hype 30 - Policing · London
Stop and search in London: your rights and what the officer must explain
A plain-English guide to Metropolitan Police stop and search: what an officer should explain, what can be searched, how to get a record and where to raise a concern.
London6 min read 
Policing · LewishamMet Police Seize £4m in Catford Drug Raid Linked to Stop-and-Search
Metropolitan Police discovered £4 million in cash and a kilogram of cocaine during searches in Catford, south London. The seizure, one of the largest in London, followed a stop-and-search operation targeting a suspicious vehicle. A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing criminal property.
Lewisham4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 70- Policing · Lewisham
Met Police seize £4m in cash and cocaine after Catford car stop
Metropolitan Police officers found £4 million in cash and 1 kilogram of cocaine during a search of a home in Catford after stopping a car in July 2026. The driver, a 54-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of possessing criminal property.
Lewisham4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 70