My research shows that since Sadiq Khan became Mayor in 2016, fewer and fewer bike thefts have been solved:
- Just 1% of bike thefts are currently solved – down from over 3% in 2015, immediately before Khan was elected.
- The worst area in London, South London Basic Command Unit (Bromley, Croydon, Sutton) solves less than one in 200 bike thefts.
Like most London cyclists, I’ve had my bike nicked – it’s infuriating and expensive.
There have been years of Met neglect on bike theft. With only one in a hundred cases solved, it is practically legal. Thieves know this crime pays. Worst of all this encourages more crime in the future.
The Mayor must fix the Met, starting with getting enough police to deal with the crimes that matter to Londoners. If we can catch more bike thieves, it means fewer crimes in the future.