The Metropolitan Police has increased its fleet of Sur‑Ron e‑bikes from five to 25, a move that Canadian law‑enforcement officials are watching as they explore rapid‑response options for street crime.
Dramatic footage released by the Metropolitan Police shows the force cracking down on illegal e‑bike offenders.
It comes as the unit expands its e‑bike fleet from five to 25 as part of a crackdown on phone snatching theft and other street crimes. Toronto's police service has recently piloted a similar electric‑bike unit, citing the London example as proof of concept.
Sur‑Ron e‑bikes boost police mobility
The lightweight Sur‑Ron bikes allow officers to keep up with criminals, navigating narrow streets and staircases to catch criminals in places that would be inaccessible by car.
In one incident, body‑worn video footage captured on August 21 shows an officer on a Sur‑Ron e‑bike chasing a moped rider through traffic and into a housing estate.
The moped rider was evading police at a vehicle stop site when he was pursued by the e‑bike officer.
Footage shows the officer weaving through traffic and speeding through residential streets.
The officer chased the suspect using a Sur‑Ron e‑bike. The suspect took off on foot after falling off the moped and attempted to jump over a railing before being stopped.
Upon being arrested, the suspect was found in possession of a significant quantity of Class A drugs and turned out to be a disqualified driver riding a moped with false plates.
Impact on phone theft and street crime
The force said its deployment of the Sur‑Ron e‑bikes has helped to reduce phone theft by more than 13,000 offences across London in the last year. Canadian cities facing rising bike‑theft and robbery rates are monitoring these figures as they consider allocating municipal funds for similar equipment.
The bikes have a top speed of 59 mph and can accelerate from zero to 50 mph in just 3.7 seconds.
The rollout is part of the Met's efforts to reduce the number of criminals using e‑bikes and causing fear on the streets. More than 2,500 illegal e‑bikes and e‑scooters have been seized so far.
These bikes are often modified with high‑powered batteries or are uninsured.
Funding for the bikes came from profits taken from crime and was reinvested back into policing with support from the Home Office.
Louise Puddefoot, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Frontline Policing, said: "Expanding our Sur‑Ron fleet gives officers another powerful tool to stay one step ahead of criminals. These bikes allow officers to move quickly through busy streets, access areas traditional vehicles cannot reach, respond faster to crime and arrest more suspects.
"Criminals are using high‑powered, often illegally modified e‑bikes to commit offences such as phone theft and robbery. By expanding this capability, we have listened to our officers, giving them the tools they need to disrupt criminality and keep Londoners safe.
"Londoners are already seeing the results of our relentless focus on tackling street crime, with neighbourhood crime down 14 per cent over the past year and 13,000 fewer phone thefts."
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: "The Met's new fleet of Sur‑Ron e‑bikes sends a clear message that London will not tolerate criminal behaviour. These bikes have been successfully helping the Met to go after offenders who are increasingly using high‑powered, illegally modified e‑bikes to commit crimes and it's great to be able to expand the fleet.
"With record funding from City Hall, the Met are using the latest innovation and technology, alongside neighbourhood policing, to stay one step ahead of criminals. Working closely with the Met, I am committed to being tough on crime and building on the progress that we have seen in tackling robbery and phone thefts, as we build a safer London for everyone."