Police powers get boost to tackle rise in moped gangs

POLICE will be given more powers to tackle moped gangs after figures revealed attacks have soared.

Armed thugs are striking more than 60 times a day – a rise of 50% in the year to May.

But under current laws police could face prosecution if a high-speed chase ends in a crash. And if the suspects are not wearing helmets, officers are warned against pursuing them.

Theresa May signalled yesterday at the G7 summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, she is prepared to change legislation to protect police. She said: “Obviously this issue of moped crime is one that is of concern for people.

“That’s why the former Home Secretary called the police into the Home Office to talk with them and others about various ways in which we could be helping the police to actually be dealing with this.

“And that’s why one of the things we’re looking at is in terms of the pursuit that the police are able to make of these people, actually ensuring that they’ve got the powers that they need and that they are able to pursue them.”

Campaigners have warned moped attacks are matched by rises in stabbings, drug crime and gang violence. London now has a higher murder rate than New York, with more than 70 killings so far there this year.

TV star Michael Mcintyre was ambushed by a moped gang who stole his Rolex in a terrifying knifepoint mugging as he collected his 10-year-old son Oscar from school in Golders Green, North London.

A 17-year-old boy in Ipswich and 15-year-olds in Sheffield and Wolverhampton have also been stabbed to death amid fears crime is running out of control. Tory police cuts have been blamed for the rise.

Mrs May yesterday defended her controversial decision to order police officers to cut down on stop and search.

Critics have said her 2014 move – made when she was Home Secretary – is a major factor behind today’s knife crime epidemic gripping the UK.

But the PM insisted: “Let me be very clear about stop and search, it is an important tool for the police.

“What I said to the police was that they should do it, and use it, lawfully. Because what we found was that about a quarter of stop and searches were being done, effectively, illegally. So it’s an important tool, but do it lawfully.”

We’re looking at ensuring they’ve got the powers they need to pursue them THERESA MAY ON NEW LAW THAT WILL HELP POLICE IN CHASES

HORROR Street attack by moped thugs