Terrified Aussie woman says she's leaving London for good and claims violent crime has ruined the city: 'I don't know why anyone would stay'
- Aussie decides to leave London after a scary incident outside her front door
- Read more: Aussie living in the UK shocked by the laws
A terrified young woman has revealed why she's leaving crime-ridden London for good and returning to safety in Australia.
Emily Brogan says she 'loves London' but it has become 'too stabby-stabby' in recent times.
She's decided to leave after an 11-month stay because there have been a succession of scary incidents that were too close to home.
Her fears are shared by many others who have formed an exodus from London, as street crime and the high cost of living tarnish the city.
Emily, who has 23million likes on TikTok, explained her neighbour was robbed while standing just a metre away from her own front door.
The woman was putting the bins out when a man strolled past her into her home, found her hand bag on her bed, and strolled back out with it.
'It literally got stolen when she was a meter from her front door,' she said.
Originally from Brisbane, Emily moved to London to chase the vibrant city culture she had heard so much about, but claims it has been dimmed by crime.
The same day her neighbour was robbed Emily's friend, who lives just 400 metres away, had her phone stolen.
Emily Brogan found fame in London but has decided to head back to Australia where it is safe
'It was one AM and two guys come by on a bike and stole it from her,' she said.
And it's happened to her too.
'I honestly have so much anxiety even living in London since last summer when my phone got stolen twice...my bag got stolen...since then I've not been the same,' she said.
At first Emily thought she was paranoid but has since realised 'no-one feels safe in the city anymore'. Other Aussies have warned travelers to stay away from London as street crime and the cost of living crisis spiral out of control.
The once-great British capital is now slammed as 'unsafe' by seasoned travellers and even Brits have taken to social media to reveal the highly multicultural city no longer feels like home.
The young Australian's neighbour was robbed while she was 'one metre away' from her own front door. Her friend was robbed the same day by two men on bikes
And police statistics prove the city's decline is more than 'a feeling'; a phone is stolen every six minutes in the city, with 8,500 snatched in January alone.
One young woman took to TikTok to vent about London's decline and mourned for the city she grew up and felt at home in just a short few years ago.
In 2023 alone, official figures showed 1.2 million people migrants arrived in the UK, with a large proportion of them moving to London, pushing up rents and homelessness.
'This is the worst the city has been in my lifetime,' she said.
The woman said Londoners are 'paying through the nose' to live there and have to deal with violent crime 'right outside' the front door.
Others were quick to agree with some claiming the troubled city will 'self destruct in the next ten years'.
'I moved to Spain and didn't realise how bad London was until I left. It is a dive. Get out,' another woman urged.
London locals are warning people to stay away due to the cost of living crisis and a spike in crime. A phone is ripped from someone's hands, pocket or purse every six minutes with 8,500 snatched in January alone (stock image)
'Born and raised in London and my God it is taking its toll,' agreed a third.
Even long-term visitors have had enough of the city.
'I've been here for almost seven years. I'm ready to leave now. Especially after the pandemic, something doesn't quite feel the same,' one woman said on Reddit.
Another Londoner said he has called the city home for six years, sticking to wealthier areas to stay out of trouble - but even they have become unsafe.
'I have lived in what people say are the best/richest neighbourhoods in London and crime is so prevalent here. It's not even a joke and nowadays it is becoming more and more present. I now hear police passing by my house every day whereas before it used to be once every two weeks,' he complained.
He added that his home had been broken into recently, proving that crime is now descending on even the wealthier streets.
A Redditor from Melbourne who considers himself 'reasonably street smart' and claims he's not 'lost a valuable possession in 30 years' had his phone stolen while waiting for an Uber at London's Gatwick airport.
The thief approached on a moped, collided with the man and snatched his phone from his hand.
'I am still at a loss for words to express my disillusionment at this situation, and sense of loss and anger,' the Aussie tourist said.
Moped gangs are found all over the city - hundreds swooping in for people's devices as they walk through the streets every day.
One young woman took to TikTok to vent about London's steep decline and mourned for the city she grew up in. 'I think that this is the worst the city has been in my lifetime,' she said (stock image)
A woman who grew up in the city sympathised with the man - and the other 100,000 people who have their phones snatched from their hands each year.
'I had constant anxiety every time I stepped into the street - so I left and my mental health improved immediately,' she said.
Repeat visitors are also putting plans to head back on hold.
'I couldn't wait to get back to London when the world opened up - but the reality was terrifying. I was told not to talk to strangers, hide my phone from sight and stay vigilant at all times,' one Aussie woman added.
'I am in London right now, just visiting, if I had to live here it would kill me,' one tourist said.
'I recently went and was terrified. So many scary incidents in London! And I'm a seasoned traveler that rarely strikes trouble,' one woman added.
Violent crime in the city is linked to soaring cost of living pressures which have crippled the population, the London School of Economics revealed.
When the cost of living increased by 10 per cent, reported crime increased by eight per cent, according to the school's data.
The sheer cost of living in the city is another reason people are being urged to stay away.
'Inflation has hit the UK much worse than Australia, and so far Australia seems to be enjoying a slow descent into recession whereas the UK is taking a sharp dive,' one Aussie in London warned on Reddit.
Others were quick to agree with one London resident estimating that, in the past two years, his groceries bill had increased 30-50 per cent, rent had increased 10-15 per cent, the cos of his lunch was up 30 percent and transport had risen 10 per cent.
But his pay had increased just eight per cent.
Despite the alarming testimony of many, other Australians said London was still a city they are drawn to.
'I love living here, I travel a lot and I am always relieved when I get back,' one woman said.
'I moved to London from Australia and was able to be myself for the first time in my life. It is wonderful,' another said.
One Aussie with no regrets about relocating said: 'I've lived here 20 years and every time I cross one of the central bridges over the Thames my heart skips a beat.'
Others urged people to 'get a sense of the city for themselves' before 'leaning into crime stories and hysteria'.
