High profile raids involving gangs on mopeds at Watches of Switzerland, Boodles, Watchfinder and Mappin & Webb over the past year are among 24,294 reported crimes in the 12 months to April reported to London’s Metropolitan Police.
A report released by the Metropolitan Police this week disclosed that only 643 moped-related crimes were solved; just 2.6% of the total.
Most of the crimes were muggings rather than the large scale armed robberies of Central London jewellery and watch showrooms.
One victim was the comedian Michael McIntyre, who had his Rolex stolen by a mugger on a moped.
New measures introduced by the police last year include tagging spray and more motorcycle patrols.
Detective superintendent Lee Hill, the Met’s head of Operation Vice, a unit set up to tackle moped crime, says progress is being made.
“Following the introduction in October 2017 of slim-line motorcycles, DNA forensic tagging and our dedicated Operation Venice teams, we have seen a decline in offences and more offenders being caught and brought to justice,” he told The Times.
