More than 140 suspects have been taken off London's streets in a major police crackdown targeting phone thieves and shoplifters blighting the capital.
Operation Baselife: A Multi-Pronged Assault
Under Operation Baselife, which launched on November 3, undercover police 'interceptors' in high-speed unmarked cars and motorcycles have been working alongside foot patrols and specialist units. The seven-day operation has seen another hundred officers dispatched to bolster the effort.
The range of suspected crimes leading to arrests includes theft, drug possession, and more specific offences. Among those detained were two phone thieves operating at an ice rink in Leicester Square, a prolific upskirter filming women in a coffee shop queue, and two men caught driving a stolen vehicle around Paddington.
Micro-Beats and High-Tech Interceptors
A key tactic of the operation is the use of 'micro-beats' – small patches in areas like Oxford Street and Leicester Square where officers in pairs patrol known crime hotspots. This system allows them to build community relationships and gather intelligence, and it will continue beyond the current operation.
These beat officers are backed up by mobile 'interceptor' units in SUVs and electric motorcycles, designed to pursue criminals with speed and efficiency. The teams are also on high alert for violence against women and girls, particularly at night near clubs and bars.
Superintendent Natasha Evans told reporters: "We are focusing on offences like shop lifting and robbery and we've had some good success in that." She expressed particular concern about predators targeting people leaving nightclubs, pretending to offer help but actually working in gangs to steal phones, sometimes intimating they have a knife.
She added, "We're doubling down before Christmas. Local officers, specialist teams and tech such as Live Facial Recognition will focus on the areas with the most crime to keep driving numbers down."
Visible Policing and Public Warnings
The operation emphasises increasing 'policing visibility' in crime hotspots. Officers have been actively warning the public, advising them not to leave phones on cafe tables and to be more vigilant in crowded areas where snatchers operate easily.
This proactive approach was demonstrated when PCs Amy Cray and Ryan Burman, part of a micro-beat team, warned a tourist to take his phone off a cafe table. The tourist profusely thanked them, shouting 'I love London'.
PC Cray explained the value of the micro-beat system: "On the micro beat we get to know everyone and reassure the community. We gather a lot of intelligence and I make notes on things that may become significant in a future investigation."
The crackdown comes as the Met Police reports significant crime reductions in the West End between April 1 and October 29 compared to the same period last year:
- Knife crime – down by 22.3%
- Theft from a person – down by 23.7%
- Personal robbery – down by 14.1%
- Vehicle offences – down by 13.7%
Across all of London, neighbourhood offences were down by nearly 15%, with officers arresting around 1,000 more criminals every month compared to last year. The Met has also solved 92% more shoplifting cases this year.
