Only 1.1% of culprits caught in record number of e-vehicle thefts

New data from the Met police has revealed that electric vehicle thefts are on the rise and only 1.1 per cent of thieves are being caught.

Southwark and Westminster have the second and third highest rates of e-bike thefts compared to all other London boroughs. 

Between June 2022 and June 2023, 185 e-bikes and 169 e-scooters were stolen in Southwark and 167 e-bikes and 141 e-scooters in Westminster.

Across London, e-bike and e-scooter thefts have hit a record high of 2,368 in the past year, up 17 per cent since June 2022.

A Freedom of Information request – submitted to the Met by criminal defence solicitors Lawtons – uncovered that just 1.1 per cent of these cases lead to a formal sanction, including a suspect being charged for receiving a caution. This is the same number as the year before. 

Despite 2,368 electric bikes and scooters being stolen from June 2022 to June 2023, only 26 suspects were charged. 

Further analysis of the data showed that no electric car thieves in London have been caught in the past three years.  

Tower Hamlets was the worst-hit borough in London, with 236 reports of e-bike thefts and 137 e-scooter thefts in the past year – the equivalent of seven thefts every week. 

But it is not just electric vehicles that thieves are targeting. 

According to figures obtained by the Lib Dems, unsolved bike theft in London is four per cent higher than the national average, with MPs stating the offence has effectively been decriminalised in London.

The latest Met Police data revealed that whilst the number of reported bike thefts has fallen by 17 per cent since 2021, only 1.12 per cent of bike thefts resulted in a sanction. This suggests more needs to be done by the police.

Data shows that Southwark has the third highest rate of bike crime in London with 3,075 thefts since 2021, behind Hackney with 3,459 and Tower Hamlets 3,300.

Other boroughs with the highest rates include Westminster with 2,720 thefts since 2021, Hammersmith and Fulham with 2,559, Wandsworth with 2,216 and Lambeth with 2,140.

Stephen Halloran, criminal defence solicitor at Lawtons Solicitors, said: “There is a widespread issue concerning bike theft in the UK and it’s not hard to imagine that electric bikes and scooters – typically the most expensive options – are heavily targeted by thieves. 

“One major contributing factor to increasing theft is that it’s just so easy for criminals to get away with the offence. 

“Unfortunately, suspects aren’t being identified because there’s usually no relationship between themselves and the victim and it’s a relatively low-priority crime for the police to pursue. 

“On top of this, owners often don’t document the ownership of their bikes, making it difficult to prosecute even if the perpetrator is caught. 

“It’s essential that you register your bike to help you recover it if it’s stolen. Keep your receipt, make a record of the serial number and register your bike with a bicycle marking and registration scheme. 

“This will help the police to trace your bike back to you if it is stolen and recovered.” 

The Met was approached for comment but said it was too busy to comment.

Pictured top: 169 e-scooters were stolen in Southwark between June 2022 and June 2023 (Picture: Pexels/Markus Spiske)