Crafty cops find new ways to beat thieving scooter scum
The Met go undercover in a bid to reduce moped-related crime
The fight against moped gangs has been stepped up a gear with police believed to be masquerading as delivery riders in a bid to catch moped thieves operating in the capital. The Met have been putting increasingly large amounts of resources into fighting the moped menace, although when this tactic was put to them they refused to acknowledge it, as they do with all covert operations.
The operation came to light just days after it emerged that more than 430 moped-related crimes were committed in London every week in the 12 months to May 2018. In the year to May, there were more than 22,000 such crimes, compared to 14,700 the previous year. The rate at which crime has been growing has been much steeper in previous years however, with fewer than 900 moped-enabled crimes committed just five years ago. There have also been some recent high-profile robberies using mopeds, including from the comedian Michael McIntyre who was attacked by armed thieves while he waited to pick up his children from school.
The Met are at pains to point out that there has been a sharp fall in the last four months however, which they put down to some recent tactics such as renewed focus on pursuit rules with officers being assured by Government
‘We are ensuring they have the powers they need’
ministers that they can give chase to moped-riding suspects. “One of the things we’re looking at is in terms of the pursuit,” said Prime Minister, Theresa May. “We are ensuring that they have the powers they need and are able to pursue [suspects] and to take the action that we all agree that they ought to take.”