I'm on the londonbikers.com forum. It is a constant topic, some of the stories are truly shocking: bikers are being attacked with acid, hammers, knives. Some of the forum posts show some horribly graphic injuries.
It was only a matter of time before they turn their attention to cars.
It's not that the police can't chase them, it's that we don't have any police any more. Some boroughs have been reduced from several hundred officers to 23. When you take shift patterns, holidays, training and sickness into account, that leaves us with two or three officers covering whole boroughs.
I have worked in many different countries over the years as a diver in oil & gas. When I first went to West Africa I was warned not to bother wearing my diving watch (Rolex) or rings as it might encourage this sort of attack.
After hearing of an attack where an 'expat' nearly lost his arm in a machete attack I took note and I am always conscious of what wealth I display when I'm out and about in foreign places.
And as per Keith Lemon - it doesn't have to actually BE valuable - just look that way
Never thought I would have to treat our UK cities the same way :-(
I lived in Copenhagen, used to sit outside the English Pub on Westerbrogade, leave my 2k MacBook while I went to the bar/for a wee, no way would I ever consider the fact someone would nick it, it’s societal, nicest place I ever lived, but unfortunately the most boring...
It is very sad. I cycle through central London too and from work and see stolen mopeds with kids two up on them smashing car windows and stealing laptops and bags from cars.
Actually it has happened about 4 times on my road where I live.
Police won’t give chase as it endangers the public. So they try and catch them at traffic lights. But the scroates have realised this and they jump every traffic light.
I fact they broke a into my wife’s car. When I say broke into the car was actually unlocked overnight. They opened the door and emptied the car out. Everything was on the pavement. Unfortunately for them all that was in it was a load of baby wipes and nappies. They didn’t bother with the baby seats.
Quite glad the door was unlocked otherwise I would have had a smashed windows and my car would be written off again!