Suspect flees on police motorbike

A murder suspect stunned undercover detectives who had him under surveillance by making off with a police motorbike.

The theft sparked a major security alert when it was realised that files about the suspect and other targets were in a box on the bike.

The suspect took the BMW motorcycle when the officer driving it dismounted to speak to colleagues from Scotland Yard's SCD10 unit outside flats in Bromley where they were working.

He evaded capture by listening to the police's Cougar radio system to hear commanders discuss how to catch him.

Police agreed to go to a south London car park to retrieve the bike after the suspect rang them and asked: "Do you want it back?" But the thief, who had hotwired the bike to steal it, did not show up.

Scotland Yard said an inquiry is under way into the incident and the motorcycle officer has been questioned by senior officers.