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Moped crime in London has risen 600 percent in two years

Written by
Josh Mcloughlin
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Next time you see a moped whizzing down the road in your direction, watch out: new figures show crime involving scooters has increased by more than 600 percent since 2014.

Met Police stats show 7,500 offences recorded so far this year – that's an average of around 22 per day.

The Met said teenagers nicking scooters and using them to commit crimes was to blame for the rise.

Superintendent Mark Payne, who runs Operation Venice, the taskforce set up two years ago to confront the problem, said: 'I think it's a huge concern because it is a change in criminal behaviour. The fact of the matter is it's much more difficult to deal with people on mopeds than it was people who were committing those sorts of crimes before on foot or on bicycles."

Tourists gawping at Google Maps are being targeted as easy marks, as thieves ride past and swipe phones with ease.

That's the last time we have a Wikipedia binge at the bus stop.

Picture: Past London via Flickr

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