In recent years we’ve seen a spike in moped and motorcycle related crime all over the UK, but especially in London. However after new tactics were put into force by Scotland Yard last year, which finally allowed Police Officers to using ramming techniques in pursuit of a moped criminal, it has resulted in a huge decrease of crime.
Back in November 2018, Police started using their cars to stop suspected criminals in pursuit and since then the number of moped and motorcycle related crimes has fallen from 20,973 (June 2017 – June 2018) to compared to 9,723, recorded in June 2019 – an impressive 53.7%!
The number of actual moped, scooter and motorcycles thefts has also seen an impressive drop with 11,395 bike thefts recorded between July 2017 and June 2018, comparing this to July 2018 – June 2019 with only 8,847 thefts recorded showing a drop of 22.4%.
Speaking on behalf of the Operation Venice team, Chief Inspector Jim Corbett said: “It’s great to see that the number of vehicles stolen and the vehicles used in crime have reduced so much, however we are not complacent and there is more work that can be done to reduce this further.”
The new statistics were released ahead of the relaunch of the Met’s ‘Lock, Chain, Cover’ campaign to encourage owners to keep their motorcycle secured properly when not in use.
Chief Inspector Corbett continued: “Officers from Operation Venice continue to tackle those that steal mopeds and scooter for criminal activity, and whilst we are making excellent headway on this, we continue to remind owners that they can help us by protecting their vehicles.
“A number of owners continue to park their scooter and motorcycles with minimal security – often only using a steering lock to prevent them from being stolen. It only takes seconds for a thief to steal one, if it is unprotected.”
All owners are encouraged to:
Lock: Use a disc lock on the front wheel to stop your bike being wheeled away. Fit a grip lock to the throttle and engage the steering lock.
Chain: Secure the rear wheel with a chain and a padlock. Attach the chain to a ground anchor or other fixed object where possible.
Cover: Bike covers prevent immediate access to the control and security features and stop thieves shopping for bike models.
Have you been a victim of motorcycle crime? Tell us about it in the comments below or visit our motorbike security guide here.