Video: Man chases scooter thieves with hammer

A brave Londoner was filmed chasing motorcycle thieves away with a hammer after they tried to steal his scooter.

The man squared up to a gang of four thieves in Battersea, who allegedly threatened him with an angle grinder and a knife. Undeterred the scooter owner continued forward brandishing the hammer, which was enough to scare the thieves away.

The event comes just days after a spate of motorcycle robberies in which a gang of teenagers attacked riders with acid.

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We spoke to the Metropolitan Police about what should you do if you witness a motorcycle theft in progress. They didn’t mention anything about chasing the thieves with hammers, but here’s what they did say:

“If the public see any suspicious activity or have any information about who is committing these crimes please call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. All crime reports made by members of the public are passed on to the Operation Venice officers who will seek out offenders, based on information provided. 

“Information is key and members of the public are urged to pass on any information they may have around suspicious activity around mopeds and stolen phones to police, but would also urge that members of the public do not put themselves in danger.” 

The Met Police also told us they were clamping down on motorcycle-related crime with Operation Venice, after moped-related thefts rose by a staggering 600% in the last two years.

London bike theft rises

Crime involving mopeds has gone up by more than 600% in London in the past two years, with Scotland Yard statistics showing there were more than 7,500 crimes involving mopeds in 2016 – up from 1,053 in 2014 and 4,647 in 2015.

With the rise reportedly due to teenagers stealing mopeds, the Met said the rise was a “huge concern” but denied that the problem is “out of control”.

In March, four thieves were filmed stealing a Yamaha R1 in broad daylight on a busy high street.

In December 2016, passers by managed to stop a gang of thieves from making off with a Ducati 1199S Panigale, despite the thieves threatening the public with a hammer and angle grinder.

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