SBD supporting Met’s Operation Venice team at the MCN Carole Nash Motorcycle Show

The Met’s Operation Venice team, who tackle scooter, moped and motorcycle crime, will have a stand at the MCN Carole Nash Motorcycle Show at the ExCel Exhibition Centre, from Friday, 15 February, to Sunday, 17 February.

Officers will be engaging with members of the public and vehicle owners who visit their stand to talk about how they can better protect their vehicles and what the Met is doing to tackle scooter, moped and motorcycle enabled crime.

They will also be promoting the Met’s ‘Be Safe’ campaign and showing the ‘invisibility cloak’ crime prevention video. Also, on display will be one of the Met’s BMW slimline motorcycles.

Additionally, the officers will be joined by a representative from Secured by Design – the national police crime prevention initiative - who will be able to assist with advice on both crime prevention and on security products.

In many cases, owners have inadequate security or no security at all on their scooters, making it easy for thieves to steal them and then use them to commit snatch and robbery offences. Security measures alone cannot guarantee two-wheeled vehicles will not be stolen, but every step taken makes them less attractive to a thief – vehicle owners are reminded to lock, chain and cover their bikes.

In June 2017, the Met launched the ‘Be Safe' campaign, which raises awareness with riders of what they can do to reduce the risk of their vehicle being stolen, focussing primarily on scooter riders, who are less likely to use strong security products. Since then, there has been a continued marketing campaign which has assisted in tackling the theft of theft of mopeds, scooters and motorbikes. Latest rolling 12 month figures show:

• Feb 2018 to Jan 2019: 9,014
• Feb 2017 to Jan 2018: 13,997
4,983 less offences – a reduction of 35.6%

There has also been a steady fall in mopeds, scooters and motorcycles used to commit crime. Latest figures show:

• Feb 2018 to Jan 2019: 12,540
• Feb 2017 to Jan 2018: 24,398
11,858 less offences – a reduction of 48.6%

Chief Inspector Jim Corbett, Operation Venice, said: “We are very excited to be here for the second year running at this renowned motorcycle show so we can meet with as many motorcycle enthusiasts and riders as possible.

“The Met has been committed to tackling the issue of thefts of mopeds, scooters and motorcycles and their use in other crimes – and we encourage people to work with us and continue to follow our advice about properly securing their vehicles to reduce the risk of theft.

“If you are coming to the show, please stop by our stand where we will have information on crime prevention and the work we have been doing to bring down moped related crime.

“Remember, the more visible the security, the less visible your scooter is to thieves: adding extra security makes it harder for them to steal – Lock, Chain, Cover.”

Andy Calton, Editor of MCN, said: “Motorcycle theft is a key issue for bikers around the country, particularly for those who regularly ride in and around London. We’re very pleased to have the Operation Venice team return to the Carole Nash MCN London Motorcycle Show this year, where they will again be chatting to riders and giving out advice to help limit the risk of theft.”

Whilst the police are continually tackling this crime there is much the owners of mopeds and motorcycles can do themselves and the Met advises the following steps:

- Parking: Choose designated parking with a stand and security loop, or if this is not available try areas with lots of people, good lighting and CCTV.

- Locks: Use more than one lock, focusing on disc locks and chain locks, fitted tight to the bike and through difficult-to-remove parts.

- Time: When leaving your bike for a long period or overnight, lock it to something secure and use a motorbike cover. At home consider using fitted anchors to secure your bike.

- Attention: Use audible alarms where possible to draw unwanted attention to the thieves.

- Marking: Choose to mark your bike parts with the vehicle identification number (VIN) number, your postcode or registration number using an ultraviolet marker pen or property marking kit.

- Insurance: Some companies will offer discounts on your insurance if you invest in certain security measures, so ask before you make your purchase.

Secured by Design (SBD) is a police-owned organisation that works on behalf of the Police Service throughout the UK to deliver a wide range of crime prevention and demand reduction initiatives.

SBD work closely with standards and certification bodies to ensure that their publicly available standards actually meet the needs of the police and public alike.

Products must be subjected to vigorous testing and auditing by an accredited third party organisation before being allowed to carry the SBD logo – this is the only way for companies to obtain police accreditation for security related products in the UK.

Find out more about protecting your moped: https://www.met.police.uk/scootersecurity

For more information on the Motorcycle show, visit: https://www.mcnmotorcycleshow.com/

To find out more about Secured by Design: www.securedbydesign.com