London Mayor Demands Anti Theft Measures To Curb Thefts Of Mopeds

One a day stolen in Hounslow borough alone

Hounslow Council says it supports the Mayor of London’s campaign to encourage motorcycle manufacturers to incorporate anti-theft measures into the design of their vehicles in order to help the capital combat moped and motorcycle-related crime.

Last year there were 361 thefts of motorcycles, mopeds and scooters in Hounslow – that’s almost one a day - and the stolen mopeds are used for quick 'smash and grab' crimes throughout the city. There were over 23,000 moped-related crimes committed in London last year.

The police are also introducing new measures and have started to use a Forensic DNA tagging spray. Trained officers are to spray the invisible liquid onto suspects. The liquid contains a unique synthetic DNA code and UV marker that clings to the skin and cannot be removed.

Councillor Hanif Khan, Cabinet Member for Community Protection and Enforcement, Hounslow Council, said: “Hounslow, like many other areas of London, has been affected by an increase in moped and motorcycle-enabled crime and we support the measures being taken to emphasise the role that manufacturers can play in tackling the problem.

Last year there were over 14,000 thefts of motorcycles in London and 23,430 crimes were committed using motorcycles in the capital – an average of 64 a day and a 163 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Representatives from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW and Piaggio have been invited to meet with the Metropolitan Police, MOPAC, the Motorcycle Industry Association and Secure by Design at City Hall.

The Mayor told manufacturers they must improve the design of new motorcycles to make them more difficult to steal.

The Met’s Be Safe campaign, launched in June 2017, raises awareness with riders of what they can do to reduce the risk of their vehicle being stolen

January 29, 2018