"They told me to 'get off the f***ing bike' and pulled out a hammer": Cyclists demand urgent police action after latest violent bikejackings at Regent's Park

Amid yet more reports of violent bikejackings by balaclava-clad moped gangs targeting cyclists in Regent's Park, the Metropolitan Police has faced calls for urgent action to tackle the crimes — the force facing questions after scared riders were told the police are "unable" to patrol before 8am.

The Times reported three cyclists were targeted on one day in January — robbers using sharp objects to puncture tyres, threatening victims with hammers and forcing riders off their bikes in a string of terrifying bikejackings — the latest incidents adding to the numerous other similar robberies that have been reported in Regent's Park and its surrounding area in recent years.

> New figures reveal two bikejackings a day now taking place in London

London cyclists who use the park's quiet roads for early morning training have reported feeling like "sitting ducks", the police's lack of action frustrating many. One club who uses the park contacted the Regent's Park safer neighbourhood policing team to ask whether a car could patrol the area between 5.30am and 7am. 

Adding to riders' disappointment in the police response, they received the reply: "We understand your concern and frustration. Unfortunately, we are unable to change our working hours."

The Met Police has this morning assured road.cc it is able to "direct uniform and plain clothes patrols to target criminals at peak offending times" and a spokesperson insisted that the comment from the safer neighbourhood policing team did not paint the full picture.

A spokesperson added: "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 in and around the park.

"They also engage with groups that use the park, and PCSOs from the team join rides run by local female cycling clubs. Making it harder to sell on stolen bikes through the second-hand market is also crucial, and we would encourage riders to register their bike with us for free so we can track them if they are stolen.”

One of the latest riders to be targeted was Bethan Lloyd-Glass who was attacked at around 5.45am on January 14, her Trek Émonda stolen by moped muggers who shouted 'give me your f***ing bike' and pushed her to the ground.

"I was on my way to the park when two men drove past me," she recalled. "I thought it was quite ­unusual to see pillion riders at that time of the morning. We stopped at a red light and the passenger got off the bike, said to me, ‘Give me your f***ing bike’, then pushed me to the floor. Then he swung the bike on his shoulder, got back on the motorbike and drove off."

In a similar incident Patrick Conneely reported being threatened with a hammer after he turned around to try and escape.

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

The chairman of Regent's Park Cyclists, Sean Epstein, said he initially had "sympathy" for the police investigating the bikejackings that have since become an increasingly common occurrence.

"The first few times it happened because the robbers wore balaclavas, they had no number plates, there were no leads," he said. "But it keeps ­happening and there's no plan to do anything about it."

The high-value nature of bikes has made them a concerningly common target for criminals in recent years. We've reported on numerous incidents involving professional riders, club riders and businesses being targeted in increasingly organised break-ins, as well as these frightening bikejacking incidents where riders have been robbed of their bikes during training rides.

In 2022, pro cyclist Jennifer George said she no longer rides alone after two bikejacking attempts as she rode out to Surrey from her home in south-east London. Likewise, former Alpecin-Fenix pro Alexandar Richardson was threatened with a machete and dragged for 100 metres by moped-riding muggers in London's Richmond Park, a teenager later sentenced to 12 months for the attack.

Other incidents involving club riders have been reported across London, notably near Regent's Park, and across the United Kingdom, high-value bikes seemingly now an attractive target for criminals, something Cycling UK has speculated may be because of the perceived low probability of being caught by the police.

> Police force admits bike thefts "unlikely to ever be solved"

However, the violent nature of the incidents targeting riders near Regent's Park has been particularly shocking, with victims threatened with knives and other weapons.

And as if to prove the point that these crimes are nothing new and have not been dealt with by the Metropolitan Police, it's a year this week since Regent's Park Cyclists, supported by British Cycling, Rapha, and Brompton, called on the Met to station more officers at the London crime hotspot in a bid to stem the seemingly constant flow of bikejackings.

Last year The Times compared the robberies to similar crimes committed by "Rolex ripper" gangs targeting high-value watches in London, and reported that bikejacking victims had been told by the police that they believed the robberies are being carried out by an Albanian gang that is shipping the bikes to Russia, where high-end bikes are difficult to obtain due to sanctions.