Boy, 17, first to be arrested on Night Tube as it passes debut weekend

'Challenge': Police are stepping up their presence on the Tube at night
Lucy Young
Jamie Bullen21 August 2016
WEST END FINAL

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A 17-year-old boy was today the first to be arrested on the Night Tube as the 24-hour service passed its first weekend in the capital.

Police arrested the youth on a Victoria line platform at Oxford Circus at around 2am today on suspicion of drugs possession and carrying a blade.

The boy was the only arrest over Night Tube’s debut weekend as police hailed a “safe and trouble-free” start to the service.

British Transport Police chief inspector Dominique Ioannou said: “This was a historic event for London and we are not only honoured to have served as part of it, we are also delighted it went so well.

“There was a great atmosphere throughout and I would like to thank the travelling public for their support and cooperation, which guaranteed the launch weekend passed off peacefully.

"This success confirms what we already knew and what we expected to see: crime on the underground is low and evidence from 24 hour metros around the world suggest crime levels at night are no greater than during the day.

“However, we are not complacent and we will continue to work closely with Transport for London, the Metropolitan Police and other agencies to ensure the safe running of the service beyond the launch and as it is rolled out across the network.”

Just days before Night Tube launched on Friday, the officer in charge of policing the London Underground admitted it would be a “challenge” to prevent higher crime levels on the Night Tube.

Superintendent Chris Horton, of British Transport Police, told the Standard: “I don’t see anything stopping it from being a success. What we are really focused on is that people need to feel safe as well as be safe.

“The challenge for us is making sure there are not more people unlucky to be a victim of crime using the Night Tube.”

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