Police launch dawn raids against moped gangs in London

Police have released footage of armed officers storming the home of suspects believed to be involved in a series of moped robberies across the capital.

Officers from Scotland Yard carried out a series of dawn raids in south London this morning in a bid to tackle the crime wave which has been terrorising the city over the past year.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘This short clip is from a raid targeting suspects who are believed to have used mopeds to commit robberies and commercial burglaries across the capital.’  

Police have released footage of armed officers storming the home of suspects believed to be involved in a series of moped robberies across the capital

Police are currently battling an epidemic of moped-related crime in the capital.

More than 8,000 offences were carried out by criminals on mopeds in London last year. The figure is 16 times what is was five years before ago.

Thugs favour the bikes because they are easy to get away on and, if they remove their helmets, police can be reluctant to chase them in case the criminals are hurt.     

Sitey Mairuf was jailed for two and a half years after being part of a gang that attacked commuters in South London

On December 1 a gang of knife-wielding moped robbers led by a talented teenage singer were locked up for more than 13 years.

Sitey Mairuf and three other teenagers muggers wore skull masks while targeting South London commuters on their way to work between December 2016 and March this year.

They stole six scooters as well as laptops and phones from their victims – which included a police officer – in Victoria, Mitcham, Herne Hill, Kennington and Camberwell.

Mairuf, 19, of South Norwood Hill, racked up thousands of YouTube views with her rendition of Sam Cooke’s classic ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’.

But her gang robbed at least 11 victims in a terrifying crime spree, with younger muggers – including a 14-year-old boy – looked up to her as ‘big sister’.