Gangs in balaclavas with hammers targeting cyclists in London’s Regent’s Park

24 February 2025 , 13:12

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Gangs in balaclavas with hammers targeting cyclists in London’s Regent’s Park

London cyclists have begged the Met Police to start patrolling Regent’s Park in the early morning after a spate of muggings and hammer attacks.

Regent’s Park hosts more than 30 cycling clubs, many of which meet daily around 5.45am – but the peaceful morning cycles are being interrupted by armed balaclava-clad thieves.

Many cyclists said they were threatened with hammers, machetes and knives before their bikes were stolen.

Officers don’t start patrolling the area until 8am, and claim they can’t start working any earlier.

But cyclists have had enough.

One victim, Patrick Conneely, told the Times he is £4,200 out of pocket after his bike was snatched.

‘I was meeting some friends in the park and was a bit early so did a lap by myself,’ he said.

Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe said the robberies were ‘isolated’ (Picture: PA)

‘A moped pulled up with two men on and one started looking at the brand. I knew I was in trouble so turned around and so did they. They told me to “get off the f***ing bike” and pulled out a hammer.

‘Someone called the police and they were there in about five minutes. They said it was the third or fourth call that morning. Cyclists are really scared.’

Cyclists wrote a letter to Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley raising safety fears.

But in a response, Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe cited a national review of cycling which found the ‘violent’ robberies were isolated and there were no indications of ‘wider, organised’ criminality.

Police don’t begin patrolling the park until 8 am (Picture: SWNS)

Around 77,313 bicycles are reported as stolen in the UK every year; roughly one every seven minutes. And that’s just an official number- the real total is likely much higher.

Despite an estimated 90% of cases going unsolved, it does appear that bike thefts appear to be declining- slowly.

Data gathered by bike insurance firm Bikmo indicates a decline in bicycle thefts throughout England and Wales, with 64,507 incidents recorded in 2023 compared to 73,218 in 2022 – showing a 12% decrease. 

Yet there are still a number of hotspots throughout the UK where bike theft is rife. Here are the spots in the UK with the highest rate of stolen bikes per 100,000 people.

In a statement, a Met Police spokesperson said: ‘We know bike thefts are a significant concern and we are mindful of the impact they have. Officers from the Regent’s Park ward safer neighbourhood team have been working with Westminster council to tackle this issue, including patrolling hotspot locations.

‘They ­also engage with groups that use the park and PCSOs (police community support officers) from the team join rides run by local female cycling clubs.’

Emma Davis