A British cycling team warned of “organised and brazen” criminals targeting cyclists for high-value bikes after the latest highly concerning bikejacking robbery in London.

Jakroo Handsling, an elite British domestic racing team, had one bike stolen and another senselessly damaged by moped-riding robbers wearing balaclavas in south-west London on Friday, the team posting footage of the robbery on social media and warning that a manager who tried to stop the bikejacking was threatened with a large knife.

We have reported numerous similar incidents across London in recent years, from a professional rider being knocked off his bike and robbed by a machete-wielding gang in Richmond Park, to riders being targeted in the area around Regent’s Park. It has become depressingly obvious that cyclists have become a major target for organised criminals who are willing to use violence and weapons to steal bikes for resale.

As Jakroo Handsling warned on Instagram, “This wasn’t overnight theft. This was broad daylight, in a residential street, in front of witnesses.”

“Bike theft in London has become organised and brazen. Today it crossed the line into violent robbery,” the team added.

The incident happened on a leafy residential street in Putney, south-west London. Two robbers dressed in black and covering their faces ripped one of the team’s Handsling bikes locked to the roof rack of a car. They made off with one of the two bikes, the second left behind when they could not get it free from the lock and badly damaged with a cracked seatstay and chainstay.

Bikejacking targets British cycling team in London
Bikejacking targets British cycling team in London (Image Credit: Instagram/Jakroo Handsling)

“One of them jumped onto the team manager’s car and physically ripped the bikes off the locked rack, while the other waited on the moped (with the number plate PK24 EXD),” the team explained.

“When confronted by one of the team managers, one of the thieves brandished a large knife and threatened them. The thieves then sped away with one of our red Handsling bikes. They left the other one completely destroyed, hanging mangled off the roof rack.

“Police have been informed. This wasn’t overnight theft. This was broad daylight, in a residential street, in front of witnesses. A neighbour captured video of the incident, which we are sharing here in the hope that we raise awareness and push efforts to improve safety on our streets and safety for cyclists.

Bikejacking targets British cycling team in London
Bikejacking targets British cycling team in London (Image Credit: Instagram/Jakroo Handsling)

“If you have any information or recognise the individuals, please contact us or the Metropolitan Police. Bike theft in London has become organised and brazen. Today it crossed the line into violent robbery. Senseless really, when you realise how much damage the bikes sustained as they were in the process of being stolen. Please share this post so we can increase awareness and get some justice. We won’t let this stop us.”

There have been spates of similar targeted attacks in various parts of London in recent years, with incidents around Regent’s Park and certain cycle routes near Bermondsey particularly common.

Just last week, we reported how a “knifepoint” bikejacking in broad daylight was captured on CCTV outside a busy Bermondsey coffee shop.

Bermondsey bikejacking screenshot
Bermondsey bikejacking screenshot (Image Credit: Steve Bassi)

There have been numerous incidents targeting riders who use the roads around Regent’s Park to train, the situation becoming so bad that a couple of years ago British Cycling, Rapha and Brompton joined calls for more police action for cyclists being “systematically targeted by criminals”.

In one Regent’s Park incident, a violent bikejacker swung a hammer at a cyclist before stealing their bike.

Cyclist attacked by hammer-wielding bikejackers in Regent's Park, London
Cyclist attacked by hammer-wielding bikejackers in Regent’s Park, London (Image Credit: Metropolitan Police)

Riders have been targeted in other areas too, such as on country lanes heading out of London into Kent and Surrey, as well as at theft hotspots in north London.

Victims and cycling charity Cycling UK have warned attacks appear to be highly targeted, The Times in 2024 suggesting that organised criminals were stealing high-value bikes to be shipped by gangs across Europe.

In 2023, a teenager who was 15 when he knocked Alexandar Richardson off his bike in Richmond Park and threatened the pro cyclist with a machete during a bikejacking attack, was sentenced to 12 months, six of which were to be served on licence.