London police use tech to tackle masked phone snatchers

London’s Metropolitan Police have launched a new operational unit equipped with Sur‑Ron electric motorcycles to directly engage the e‑bike gangs responsible for masked phone‑snatching across the capital. RideApart.com and Yahoo reported that officers are being issued the Sur‑Ron Ultra Bee model, mirroring the machines used by the thieves.

Motorcycles.news detailed the fleet’s specifications, noting the bikes’ rapid acceleration and integrated communication systems that allow real‑time dispatch coordination. In a separate analysis, The Economist asked whether London has already passed the peak of phone‑snatching activity, suggesting the new tactic may be a response to a sustained threat.

While the deployment is active, officials have not published arrest statistics or measurable changes in theft frequency, and the current coverage does not specify how widely the approach is being rolled out beyond the pilot zones.