Phone snatchers' e-scooters to be CRUSHED within hours of seizure amid police crackdown on London's mobile theft epidemic

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

E-scooters and e-bikes driven by brazen phone snatchers are to be destroyed by police within hours of being seized amid a crackdown on London 's mobile theft epidemic.
Previously officers had to warn offenders before taking away and crushing a bike, scooter or any other vehicle driven in an anti-social manner or if it was used to facilitate a theft.
But now, new powers will mean police won't have to wait two weeks before throwing them away and will be able to do so in a two-day time frame.
Ministers argued that the current two-week deadline made it less challenging for offenders to re-obtain their vehicles, meaning little discouragement against repeat offending.
And while e-bikes and scooters have increasingly annoyed pedestrians, they too are being more frequently used to snatch mobile phones out of the hands of unassuming walkers.
According to Metropolitan Police figures, 66,528 phones were stolen in the capital in the year leading up to September 2024,
Over the same period in Westminster, 22,253 thefts were reported equating to 85.4 incidents per every 1,000 people.
Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, told the Telegraph: 'Anti-social and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks.
'By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we're giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities the swift justice they deserve.
'As part of our Plan for Change, these new powers send a clear message that anti-social behaviour, whatever form it takes, will not be tolerated in our local communities.'
The Government are also looking to hike up fines for seizing, towing and crushing vehicles, as a previous consultation found fees were last increased nearly two decades ago in 2008.
It comes as Scotland Yard has decided to fight back against London's mobile theft epidemic by using invisible DNA.
Officers hope that marking e-bikes, an increasingly popular mode of getaway for marauding robbers, will allow them to track, catch and prosecute suspects.
They are also spraying riders' clothes and skin with the invisible dye, which contains a unique DNA code only seen under UV light.
The substance, known as SelectaDNA, sticks on a target for several months allowing police to link them to a specific theft via the special code.
The innovative method is being introduced in various hotspots around the country including London, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Scotland.
Inspector Dan Jones, who leads the Watford neighbourhood policing team in Hertfordshire, said: 'It's another tool in our box of tactics to make it increasingly difficult for criminals to operate.
'The spray will enable us to identify those responsible without the need to engage in risky high-speed pursuits.
'We want this to serve as a warning to those involved – expect a knock on the door, because we will catch up with you.'
The spray is also being trialled in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland and Sergeant Callum Dalgleish-Little said: 'We know that antisocial behaviour particularly in residential areas, public parks, and cycle paths, is concerning for local communities.
'This spray will help officers have another tool at their disposal to detect and deter such criminality.
'The spray is deployed by trained officers and can be used on bikes we believe to be stolen or ridden illegally.'
It comes as London has been hit with a phone snatching epidemic, with the issue reaching crisis point as victims as young as four being targeted.
Discussing the problem, Paul, who works by the London Eye, previously told MailOnline: 'I see it all the time. I would say every day. It's worst around this touristy part of London - particularly along Westminster Bridge.
'It happens to tourists a lot because they're unaware. I try to warn them but it doesn't always work.
'One time, a family asked someone to take a photo of them in front of the London Eye. And the guy they chose ran off with their phone.
'Usually though, they come past on their bikes and snatch the phone before anyone has a chance to react. It's a real issue.'
The 51-year-old said he sees the same culprits at work repeatedly, adding: 'There are groups of them who are here all the time,' Paul said. 'The police know about them.
'I've had them trying to steal my phone too. Even though they know that I know who they are. It's bold.'
Ovye, who works for a bus tour company, said the thieves target 'anyone' - and that even children aren't off limits.
He said: 'It can happen to anyone. I once saw someone snatch a phone out of a little girl's hand while she was taking a picture. She can't have been more than four years old. Unbelievable.'
Met Police commander, Owain Richards, told MailOnline: 'We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims – it's an invasive and sometimes violent crime - and we're committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.
'Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community.
'We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen items to target offenders. We are also working with phone firms to 'design out' the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery and theft.
'We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can investigate swiftly.'