Spike in violent robberies leaves London cyclists fearful

Athene and Julian O'Neil were left shaken by what happened to them

Almost 90% of cyclists surveyed in London feel less safe after a spate of bike robberies in the past two months, according to data given to the BBC.

The Regents Park Cyclists figures reveal the scope of the issue within cycling communities.

Of the 1,300 cyclists surveyed, 96% had heard of at least one violent robbery, with 68% having changed their route and just over half cycling less.

The Met said it understood robberies were a growing concern for Londoners.

The London Cycling campaign said it wanted the Met Police to intervene in hotspots in the wake of the spike in violent bicycle robberies.

Julian O'Neil is a cyclist who has experienced a violent robbery.

He was attacked by three men who stole his bicycle in December 2021, and says he was so shaken that he does not cycle any more.

Mr O'Neil chooses not to cycle since he was attacked

"One of the men punched me, one sprayed bleach in my eyes and the third stole my Brompton," Mr O'Neil told the BBC.

"I ran to the nearest cafe shouting, and immediately began rinsing my eyes out with water as they called the ambulance and police."

Although police caught his attackers, who went on to be convicted, he was so shaken that he chooses not to cycle any more.

'No-one stopped'

In March this year, Mrs O'Neil was attacked on her way to Highbury and Islington.

Two men in balaclavas and hoodies kicked her off her bike, broke her elbow and injured her shoulder.

"No-one stopped to help when they attacked," she said. "I lost consciousness briefly when they kicked me off but luckily they did not get my bike."

Mr O'Neil said the situation had become worse since the pandemic and questioned whether it was because of "inaction from the Met".

Jen George was left with with post-traumatic stress disorder

Jen George is another victim.

In 2022, she was pursued twice by men on mopeds, months apart, which left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to her psychiatrist.

On the first occasion she immediately felt something was wrong, she said.

"Before the attack I never felt threatened before. I trained 20-30 hours a week, but when the motorbike pulled up beside me I immediately felt threatened," Ms George said.

The cycling trainer said she still struggled with the effects of both attacks.

"My identity is cycling, my job is cycling and it has been robbed from me," she said.

'Doing all that we can'

A spokesperson for the Met Police said the majority of London's 1.2m yearly bike journeys passed without incident.

"We're doing all that we can to prevent robberies and thefts targeted at cyclists as we understand it is a growing concern for some Londoners.

"Through our new cycle crime reduction partnership we are working to make it harder to sell stolen bikes through the second-hand market."

The spokesperson said that officers focused on hotspot locations where "victims may be more at risk".

Members of the public can record and register their bicycles on this online database.

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