JUST WHAT THEY DESERVE
Cops show off brutal new tactic of smashing moped thugs off the road as Met Police fights back in Lawless London
THIS is the brutal new tactic cops are using to smash the moped mugging gangs plaguing London's streets.
Metropolitan Police officers will now be able to ram into moped-riding thieves even when they're not wearing helmets, riding dangerously or disguising themselves.
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Cops shared a video showcasing the forceful strategy - which specially trained "Scorpion" officers can carry out during high-speed chases.
The footage shows moped riders being smashed into by blue light police cars in London streets.
Several suspects are sent flying as they're brutally hit - one even gets up and gestures with his arms open as if to ask what they're playing at.
And even suspects without helmets are filmed being knocked off their scooters.
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COPS TAKE CAUTION: THE HENRY HICKS CASE
Met Police officers were thought to have become more cautious about moped pursuits in the wake of Henry Hicks' death.
Hicks was just 18 when he died in a moped crash while fleeing from cops.
Two unmarked police cars were going at speeds over 50mph when Hicks came off his moped in Islington, north London in December 2014.
He smashed into a minicab and died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Seven bags of skunk cannabis were found in Hicks' possession, along with a number of mobile phones.
Although four officers were ultimately cleared of gross misconduct, Hicks' death triggered a review into the Met's pursuit policies.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick later denied that the force had a 'no pursuit' policy as a result.
The growth of moped crime - in which some criminals have stolen up to 30 phones in an hour - has exploded by 1,000 per cent across the UK in the past three years.
And Lawless London has seen the highest spike in moped muggings, where over 19,000 separate offences were recorded last year alone.
Victims are often targeted as they're coming out of tube stations and other transport hubs where they're more vulnerable to attacks.
Thieves snatch handbags, watches and other expensive items before making an easy getaway.
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Cops had been criticised due to a widespread belief that they weren't allowed to pursue a suspect on a moped if they weren't wearing a helmet.
But proposed changes in the law make it explicit that specially trained police drivers can chase a rider without a helmet.
Forces have previously unveiled other tactics to fight moped crime, like automatic tyre deflation devices and DNA tagging spray.
The spray marks the clothes, bikes and skin of riders with a uniquely-coded but invisible DNA that can later be used as forensic evidence linking suspects with specific crimes.
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Moped riders are being rammed at night as well as during the dayAnd the tactics appear to be working - while there were 19,455 offences of moped crime in London between January and October last year, the same period has seen 12,419 offences this year (a reduction of 44 per cent).
The Met's Operation Venice Team is the unit specifically tasked with fighting this type of crime and they're now adopting more forceful tactics.
Commander Amanda Pearson of Frontline Policing, said: "The Met is at the forefront of tackling moped and motorcycle crime and I am pleased to see that we have seen a reduction in offences. However, we are not complacent and we will continue to work tirelessly across London to maintain this downward trend.
Moment moped thugs blast group with a SHOTGUN as they stand outside takeaway in Lawless London
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"Operation Venice can call on all manner of tactics from an experienced investigation team to police helicopters to tackle and arrest offenders.
"There is a perception that if you remove your helmet or fail to stop for police when requested to do so we will not take any further course of action. This is untrue.
"The public quite rightly expects us to intervene to keep London safe. Our highly trained police drivers weigh up the risks and decide upon the most appropriate tactics in those circumstances."
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