Met Police Launches E-Motorbike Squad to Combat Phone Snatchers
London’s Metropolitan Police has deployed a new unit on e-motorbikes to tackle rising phone thefts.
London, UK, E-Motorbikes, Phone Theft, Metropolitan Police
London: The Metropolitan Police is stepping up its game against phone thieves. They’ve rolled out a special unit on high-speed e-motorbikes to chase down these criminals. It’s all about catching those pesky bike gangs that have been snatching phones left and right.
These new electric bikes can zoom up to 50mph in just a few seconds. The police got their hands on five of these powerful machines after noticing a spike in mobile phone thefts. It’s crazy out there, with one phone getting stolen every six minutes!
Thieves love using e-bikes because they can sneak up quietly and escape quickly. They often ride on sidewalks or through places where police cars can’t follow. A police insider mentioned that using these e-bikes is a smart way to outsmart the crooks by using the same tech they do.
The officers who get to ride these bikes have gone through some serious training. They know how to handle high-speed chases and even how to safely knock a thief off their bike if needed. It’s all about keeping the streets safe.
There are tons of videos online showing these thieves in action, targeting unsuspecting folks. Once they grab a phone, it usually ends up with organized crime groups that harvest personal info for identity theft. Some stolen phones have even been traced to shops as far away as China and Algeria!
Last year, a guy named Sonny Stringer made headlines for his wild phone-snatching spree. He was caught on camera racing through London, grabbing 24 phones in just one hour! He was eventually caught after a police chase, and now he’s serving time.
In total, around 91,000 phones are stolen in London every year. Most thefts happen in the evening, especially in busy areas like Westminster. It’s a big problem, and the police are determined to tackle it head-on.
The e-motorbikes, like the Surron models, are lightweight and built for speed. They’re popular in the UK, partly because of their cool marketing. But remember, you need a valid license and insurance to ride one legally on the roads.