In a shocking daylight attack, a cyclist riding an electric bike through a north London neighbourhood was forced to confront two moped-riding criminals who attempted to steal his bicycle while he was still on it.
Brazen Daylight Pursuit in Hackney
The terrifying incident, captured on the victim's helmet camera, unfolded on Saturday, January 10. The cyclist was travelling along Lower Clapton Road in Hackney when one moped pulled up closely beside him. He then noticed a second moped following directly behind, boxing him in.
In a desperate attempt to escape, the electric bike rider swerved onto the pavement. However, the two determined thieves manoeuvred to block his path, creating a frightening scene that included pedestrians, such as two mothers with children in prams, looking on in fear.
A Brave Confrontation on the Pavement
The pursuit continued onto Mildenhall Road, where the victim was forced to remain on the pavement to keep a distance from his pursuers. With his escape routes cut off, the cyclist made a bold decision. He dismounted his bike and turned to directly confront the duo. Faced with his defiance, the two criminals sped away from the scene, failing to complete their robbery.
After the footage was shared on social media, reactions highlighted the alarming new tactics of criminals. One user wrote, 'I have never even thought about bike to bike warfare before. What are you supposed to do?' Another expressed confusion at the audacity of trying to steal a bike that was not locked up but actively being ridden.
A Growing Trend of Violent Cycle Crime
This brazen attack is not an isolated event. It follows a series of violent robberies reported by cyclists in Regent's Park last year, where hammer-wielding thugs on mopeds targeted high-value bicycles.
One victim, Patrick Conneely from Leyton, was pursued in February after riders inspected his Trek Domane bike. They then threatened him with a hammer before stealing it, in an incident captured on exclusive video.
Official data underscores the scale of the problem. A Freedom of Information request revealed that in the year to December 2023, the Metropolitan Police recorded 768 crimes where a pedal cycle was stolen using violence or the threat of violence. This equates to roughly 15 violent attacks on cyclists every week.
A poll of the Regent's Park Cyclists group found that 91% of 1,400 respondents felt less safe due to the surge in robberies, with 59% admitting they had reduced their cycling as a direct consequence.
In response to the earlier spate of crimes, Chief Inspector John Hine from the Royal Parks unit stated that additional plain-clothes and uniformed officers had been deployed in hotspot areas. 'Given the violence used in these attacks, we will continue to ensure that we do all we can to put a stop to these crimes,' he said.
The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment regarding the latest incident in Hackney.
