New tactics introduced by the Metropolitan Police Service have helped to drive a sharp fall in moped-related crime in London.
In April 2017 there were 1,512 thefts of scooters, mopeds and motorcycles, according to the Met’s official data, which compares crime in the 12 months from April-March 2017/18 with the same period a year earlier.
In the month of March 2018, the number of scooters, mopeds and motorbikes stolen in London fell to 756 – a 50 per cent reduction.
The Mayor highlighted the fall on Good Morning Britain in an interview with Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, and explained how the Met Police has introduced new tactics, including using light-weight police motorbikes and remote-control tyre deflation devices, to take on criminals.
Officers also began using DNA spray, which tags riders’ bikes, skin and clothing with an invisible forensic marker which is revealed under a special light, allowing police to identify offenders.
The number of crimes committed using scooters, mopeds and motorcycles also fell sharply over the period, the Met’s data showed.
After peaking at 2,592 in July 2017, the number of crimes committed using scooter, moped and motorcycle dropped by 52 per cent to 1,238 crimes in the month of March 2018.
The Mayor is also working with the UK motorcycle industry to improve the security of mopeds and motorbikes to help cut thefts and use of these vehicles in criminal activities.
In January, the Mayor convened the Chief Executives of the UK Motorcycle Industry Association’s members to identify how we can design out this crime. As a result of this, the MCIA launched a new five-star rating scheme for new vehicles. The scheme will incentivise manufacturers to build in additional security features, including:
- steering locks
- ignition immobilisation systems
- alarm systems
- vehicle tracking systems
- registration
While the Met’s crime figures showed a continued rise in recorded crime in London, the Met noted that many crimes showed more marked increases in other parts of the country.