Met ‘should consider bans on pillion passengers to fight moped crime’

TEMPORARY bans on moped riders carrying pillion passengers have been suggested as a strategy to curb crime.

London Assembly Green member Sian Berry said police should consider the idea in parts of the capital badly hit by moped robberies. She added: “A very small number of people are causing large amounts of fear on our streets. I live in a huge hotspot in Camden and resident concern and debate on how to deal with this is running very high.

“A local safer neighbourhood panel chair pointed out a tactic used in some other countries: to temporarily ban the carrying of pillion passengers across whole cities.

“I’d like to know what people think as I’m really not sure this is right for London. But it’s possible that temporary bans on moped passengers in particular areas would help to identify and better target police action, as anyone defying a ban would know they might be spoken to.”

Ms Berry, deputy chairwoman of the assembly’s police and crime committee, said she had raised the idea of the bans with senior Met officers.

Adie Kitachi, of the Motorcycle Action Group and the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Community, said: “It’s a good idea. I pillion my partner sometimes but it is not that popular, so I don’t think too many people would be aggrieved. What you do get are criminals using highpowered mopeds with a pillion passenger tooled up with weapons.”

In 2011, Honduras banned motorcycle passengers after a series of drive-by killings and a similar ban was imposed in Medellin, Colombia, at the height of drugs cartel violence.

Commander Julian Bennett, of Territorial Policing, said: “We would consider any suggestion or proposals from anyone that might make this type of offence even more difficult to commit. However, any initiative adopted must be proportionate, practical and within current law.”

Officers are now using a DNA-type tagging spray on moped thieves while they carry out crimes, so they can be identified without a pursuit, and are also deploying portable stinger traps.

In the past Scotland Yard has used “super-Asbos” banning convicted robbers from riding pillion on bikes.