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London police said the harsh tactics used against violent thieves, including chasing and dropping them off their bikes, have helped reduce crime.
The Metropolitan Police said that there had been a 44% reduction in thefts involving mopeds or scooters since the adoption of the tactics last year.
These include providing the police with a special marker spray to shoot suspects, use remote-controlled tips to pop bikes off the tires, and use police cars to knock out suspects on their bikes.
Officers were reluctant to pursue mopeds, some speeding by suspects as young as 14, fearing injury or death.
But Inspector Jim Corbett said that those who thought they would not be prosecuted when they removed their helmets were surprised: "A big myth is that if people take off their helmets, they think that they are not safe. They will not be prosecuted.
He recounted that one captured person told the officers, "I took off my helmet because I thought you would stop pursuing me." This person, who was later imprisoned, climbed onto the sidewalk. . The agents considered him a danger to the public and used a "tactical contact" to knock him off his scooter.
A special team called Scorpion pilots have been trained in tactical contact. Legal experts have developed policies to minimize the risk of lawsuits against agents who have used this technique, introduced in October 2017. Since the beginning of the year, agents have killed 63 times suspects, including those who had removed their vehicle. helmets.
Sgt Tony McGovern, one of Scorpion's pilots, said it was one of the most difficult tactics to use: "It's just a slight boost. It's controlled. He said the suspects were amazed when, in some cases, they were fired out of their mopeds. "They are shocked. They say, "We did not think you could do it," especially when they take off their helmets. They are confused. "
He added that other police cars would try to slow down the scooter or moped before other specialist drivers and himself hit the suspect's vehicle at a speed "as slow as possible".
McGovern said the Scorpion drivers were seeking to minimize the injuries of the prosecutioners and civilians, so during the impact, they pulled their foot off the accelerator and used the brakes to push the suspect to leave their bike. "It's incredibly fast and very dynamic. Your decision-making changes in a split second, "he said.
Three incidents were referred to the police watchdog for investigation.
The Met said that last year, 24% of their lawsuits involved police in pursuit of mopeds or scooters. This year, this figure has increased to 40%.
The issue of crime with the help of mopeds was considered part of a crime wave that made headlines and added public discomfort to the prevalence of violence.
Acclaiming a drop in crime related to the use of mopeds, the Met said that between January and October 2017, 19,455 offenses had been committed in London. From January this year to October, there were 12,419.
Commandant Amanda Pearson said, "The public rightly expects us to intervene to keep London safe. Our highly trained police drivers assess the risks and decide on the most appropriate tactics in these circumstances.
"Offenders on mopeds and motorcycles who try to evade police make a choice that puts their lives and those of others at risk. Many get up and run away, stunned to see how we dare to dare.
The increase in crime related to mopeds from early 2017 was caused by several factors. One of them is the increase in the number of owners of mopeds, coupled with insufficient security measures to prevent their theft.
Mobile phones are lucrative gadgets for thieves, and the Met had previously said that Apple's iPhones were the target of two-thirds of the flights, followed by the Samsung Galaxies. Young people originally flying can earn up to £ 2,000 per hour by getting £ 200 per phone stolen.
Criminalwave is fueled by an increasingly illegal market of phone parts. Some young people steal mobile phone brands to order, and there are signs that some offenses are very well organized.
At first, Met chiefs believed that moped riders tended to drive at high speed before taking a phone from the victim's hand. But an increase in the levels of violence used has led police chiefs to develop tougher tactics.
