The 20 most dangerous cities in Europe – five of them are in the UK | World | News
A recent ranking of Europe’s most crime-ridden cities reveals some surprising results, with five of the top 20 located in the UK. One UK city even ranks as the second most dangerous on the continent. The data comes from Numbeo, a platform established in 2009 to provide information on matters including consumer prices, living costs, and quality of life in cities worldwide.
By 2017, it was the largest database of user generated data about cities in the world. Its Crime Index by City combines user-generated data to highlight levels of crime, safety, and risk across Europe. Top of the list is Marseille, a port city in southern France which is the second most populated city in the country.
Marseille, France’s oldest city, is renowned for its rich history and beauty, including the historic Le Panier district, which resembles an open-air museum, its crystal-clear beaches, and vibrant culture. However, the city has also gained notoriety for high crime rates, particularly drug-related violence.
Just this month, it has been revealed that young teenagers are increasingly being drawn into the drug trade in the city, often at the expense of their lives.
The French Ministry of Justice has reported that the number of teenagers involved in gang activity has more than quadrupled over the past eight years.
In second position is Birmingham with a crime index of 63.6 and a safety index of 36.4. Previously, Coventry was often cited as the city facing the highest crime levels, but the Numbeo data places Birmingham as the city with the highest crime index in the UK, while Coventry came in 11th position, not even appearing within the top 10.
Bradford ranks 13th with a crime index score of 56, followed closely by Manchester at 55.9 and London at 55.6. In London, recorded crime across the Metropolitan Police area has risen by 31% over the past decade, with violent offences increasing by 40%.
Mobile phone theft remains a significant issue in the capital. However, violent crime in the capital fell by 6% in the year leading up to the end of March.
