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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/23/met-police-say-tough-tactics-have-reduced-violent-moped
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Met police say tough tactics have reduced violent moped crime | Met police say tough tactics have reduced violent moped crime |
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Police in London say tough tactics used against suspected violent thieves on mopeds, including chasing them and knocking them off their bikes, have helped reduce crime. | |
The Metropolitan police said there had been a 44% reduction in thefts that involved mopeds or scooters since the tactics were adopted last year. These include providing officers with a special marking spray to fire at suspects; using remote-controlled spikes to burst the tyres of bikes; and using police cars to knock suspects off their bikes. | |
Police had been reluctant to chase mopeds, some driven by suspects as young as 14 at high speed, amid fears of injury or death. | Police had been reluctant to chase mopeds, some driven by suspects as young as 14 at high speed, amid fears of injury or death. |
But Insp Jim Corbett said those who thought they would not be chased if they took off their helmets were in for a surprise: “A big myth that we have is that if people remove their helmets they think they are not going to be pursued.” | But Insp Jim Corbett said those who thought they would not be chased if they took off their helmets were in for a surprise: “A big myth that we have is that if people remove their helmets they think they are not going to be pursued.” |
He said officers were told be one person they caught: “I took my helmet off as I thought you would stop chasing me.” | He said officers were told be one person they caught: “I took my helmet off as I thought you would stop chasing me.” |
The person, who was later jailed, rode on to the pavement where officers decided he was a danger to the public and decided to use what they call “tactical contact” , knocking him off his scooter. | The person, who was later jailed, rode on to the pavement where officers decided he was a danger to the public and decided to use what they call “tactical contact” , knocking him off his scooter. |
A special team of “Scorpion” drivers have been trained in tactical contact. Policies were drawn up using legal experts to minimise the chances of officers being prosecuted for using the tactic, which was introduced in October 2017. This year police drivers have knocked suspects off their mopeds or scooters 63 times, including those who have taken off their helmets. | |
One Scorpion driver, Sgt Tony McGovern, said it was one of the hardest tactics to use: “It’s just a slight nudge. It’s controlled.” He said suspects were amazed when in some cases they were sent sprawling off their mopeds. “They are shocked and surprised. “They say ‘We did not think you were allowed to do that,’ especially when they take off their helmet. They are confused.” | |
He said other police cars would try to slow the scooter or moped before he and other specialist drivers strike at “as slow a speed as possible”. McGovern said police drivers aimed to minimise injury to those being pursued and civilians, so at impact they would take their foot off the accelerator and use the brakes to nudge the suspect off their bike. “It’s incredibly quick and very dynamic. Your decision-making changes in a split second.,” he said. Three incidents have been referred to the police watchdog for investigation. | |
The Met said last year 24% of their pursuits involved officers chasing mopeds or scooters. This year, that figure rose to 40%. | |
The issue of moped crime has been seen as part of a crimewave that made headlines and added to public unease about the prevalence of violence. | |
Hailing a fall in crime where mopeds were used, the Met said from January to October 2017 there were 19,455 offences across London. From January this year to October there were 12,419 offences. | |
Cdr Amanda Pearson said: “The public quite rightly expects us to intervene to keep London safe. Our highly trained police drivers weigh up the risks and decide upon the most appropriate tactics in those circumstances. | |
“Offenders on mopeds and motorcycles who attempt to evade the police are making a choice that puts themselves and others at risk. A lot of them get up and run away, looking aghast at how dare we.” | |
Several factors triggered the surge in moped crime from early 2017. One was a rise in people owning mopeds, coupled with security measures not being tough enough to stop them being stolen. | |
Mobile phones became lucrative for criminals to steal and the Met had previously said Apple iPhones were the target in two-thirds of thefts, followed by Samsung Galaxies. Youths behind the thefts can make up to £2,000 an hour by getting £200 per phone they steal. | |
The crimewave is being driven by a market in phone parts, with some youths, all male, in some cases stealing brands of phones to order, and signs some offending was highly organised. | |
Initially Met chiefs believed moped-riding thieves tended to drive by at speed to pluck a phone from someone’s hand. But then there was an increase in the levels of violence used plus growing public fear led police chiefs to develop and authorise tougher tactics. | |
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