Crimewave sparks crackdown on underground #bikelife gangs

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Alternative resolutions

Detective Superintendent Raffaele D’Orsi from the Met said: “The commencement of any pursuit carries inherent risks, and we would always seek to avoid such risks where possible and find alternative resolutions to the situation.

“Where we do decide to pursue a vehicle that has failed to stop a whole range of criteria, which include the suspected offence, the age of the driver, the time of day, whether there is a pillion passenger and other factors are collectively considered.

“These factors apply to all vehicles being pursued, not just mopeds.”

The Met revealed to Channel 4 News that its pursuit policy has changed since August and now only officers trained in tactical pursuit and containment (TPAC) are able to pursue motorbikes and mopeds.

“The MPS is always continually looking at developing our tactics to both prevent unnecessary pursuits and stop vehicles in a safe and controlled manner.”

Social media

The Met said it could not elaborate further on new policies because they involved “covert tactics” and disclosure might harm operations to cut moped crime.

The rise in such crime in the capital correlates with the perceived growing popularity over the past few years of the underground “bike life” scene in cities across Britain – a youth subculture being magnified by social media.

On platforms like Instagram young riders post videos of themselves evading police chases and doing stunts such as wheelies on public high roads using the hashtag #bikelife.

Disproportionate targeting?

Channel 4 News went to meet the underground teenage moped and motorbike gangs who meet on public roads to hold mass rides and stunts across the country.

Members of these gangs disclosed to Channel 4 News that riding without insurance on stolen bikes is commonplace but that most riders involved in the scene who own their bikes are not involved in serious crime but feel like they have been disproportionately targeted during the police crackdown.

Ashley ‘Ashman46’ Asamoah who owns his own bike and is a leader in the underground bike life scene doings students told Channel 4 News: “Everyday without fail there must be 10-20 police chases in the area on bikes.

“This year will be worst because of all the accidents and robberies happening in London. Bike life is not about crime. Bike life is about riding. I can’t wait to ride my bike. We wear balaclavas (to keep warm) but that does not mean we are going to do a robbery or a bank job we are just riding.”

Bike life is not about crime. Bike life is about riding. Ashley Asamoah

Joanne McCartney, chair of the police and crime committee on the London Assembly, said police had a duty to cut down on insurance crimes as these were more likely to lead to other crimes.

A bike life rider of whom Channel 4 News obtained footage as he appeared to evade a police pursuit is now in prison. The Met said its operation has had success and that between April and June there had been a drop in recorded incidents.