LONDON: As legions of Arab travelers book their summer flights to London to escape the soaring heat of the Gulf, the city’s police force has warned tourists to be extra vigilant of moped crime.
In the past two years, mopeds have become the vehicles of choice for mobile phone robberies, bag snatches and even acid attacks in the UK capital.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the Kensington and Chelsea area — a popular spot for tourists from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — is among the top ten London boroughs most affected by moped crimes. The others are: Lambeth, Southwark, Hackney, Haringey, Newham, Islington, Westminster, Wandsworth, and Camden.
Kevin Howells, chairman of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group, urged visitors from the GCC “not to draw attention to themselves.”
Howells suggested covering up phones when not in use and using smaller, less noticeable handbags where possible. “Some people like to show they are successful but it’s best to be low-key. Be mindful of your surroundings and stay in well-lit areas,” he advised.
The increase in moped-based crime has been dramatic. In the 12 months to June 2017, the Met police recorded 16,158 thefts by people using mopeds — more than three times as many as the 5,145 reported between July 2015 and June 2016.
One video released by the Metropolitan Police shows a moped gang deliberately running down a man in London, apparently to steal his watch.
A police spokesperson told Arab News: “We are working hard to keep the public safe and make the streets hostile territory for criminals who use mopeds, motorbikes and bicycles to snatch valuables from members of the public.
“It is important that the public are aware of their surroundings at all times and protect their personal property, as this crime happens in an instant.”
According to a Visit Britain spokesperson, there were 777,000 visits from the GCC to the UK in 2016, up 7 percent on the previous year, with visitors from the GCC spending £1.43 billion ($1.87 billion). Visits from Saudi Arabia to the UK broke records in 2016 with 152,000 visits, up 3 percent on 2015. There were 109,000 visits from Saudi Arabia to London specifically in 2016, up 4 percent on 2015.
As summer tourist season reaches its peak, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement that it is committed to taking every opportunity to “divert, disrupt, detect and prosecute those involved in scooter, moped, and motorcycle-related criminality”.
“This is done in a coordinated approach under ‘Operation Venice’ whose officers conduct targeted operations throughout London and through intelligence-led investigations and operations prevent and detect moped theft,” it said.
The police statement advised tourists to be aware of their surroundings at all times and keep personal property secure. The report also advised visitors “not to text while walking; use the security features on your phone; and try going hands-free or standing away from the roadside close to a wall so no one can come up behind you.”
The statement added: “Your phone comes with a range of security features, such as keypad locks and remote data wiping. Make sure they are all activated to stop thieves from accessing your phone and personal data. Know how to identify your phone if it’s stolen.”
The police force also advised visitors to obtain their personal IMEI number by dialling *#06# and keeping a written note of the number. If the phone is stolen, report it to the police and the mobile provider to stop it being used.
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Gulf travelers warned about London ‘moped menace’
Gulf travelers warned about London ‘moped menace’
EU leaders to reassess US ties despite Trump U-turn on Greenland
BRUSSELS: EU leaders will rethink their ties with the US at an emergency summit on Thursday after Donald Trump’s threat of tariffs and even military action to acquire Greenland badly shook confidence in the transatlantic relationship, diplomats said.
Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from his threat of tariffs on eight European nations, ruled out using force to take Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and suggested a deal was in sight to end the dispute.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, welcoming Trump’s U-turn on Greenland, urged Europeans not to be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership.
But EU governments remain wary of another change of mind by a mercurial president who is increasingly seen as a bully that Europe will have to stand up to, and they are focused on coming up with a longer-term plan on how to deal with the United States under this administration and possibly its successors too.
“Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no going back to what it was. And leaders will discuss it,” one EU diplomat said, adding that the bloc needed to move away from its heavy reliance on the US in many areas.
“We need to try to keep him (Trump) close while working on becoming more independent from the US It is a process, probably a long one,” the diplomat said.
EU RELIANCE ON US
After decades of relying on the United States for defense within the NATO alliance, the EU lacks the needed intelligence, transport, missile defense and production capabilities to defend itself against a possible Russian attack. This gives the US substantial leverage.
The US is also Europe’s biggest trading partner, making the EU vulnerable to Trump’s policies of imposing tariffs to reduce Washington’s trade deficit in goods, and, as in the case of Greenland, to achieve other goals.
“We need to discuss where the red lines are, how we deal with this bully across the Atlantic, where our strengths are,” a second EU diplomat said.
“Trump says no tariffs today, but does that mean also no tariffs tomorrow, or will he again quickly change his mind? We need to discuss what to do then,” the second diplomat said.
The EU had been considering a package of retaliatory tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108.74 billion) on US imports or anti-coercive measures if Trump had gone ahead with his own tariffs, while knowing such a step would harm Europe’s economy as well as the United States.
WHAT’S THE GREENLAND DEAL?
Several diplomats noted there were still few details of the new plan for Greenland, agreed between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte late on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Nothing much changed. We still need to see details of the Greenland deal. We are a bit fed up with all the bullying. And we need to act on a few things: more resiliency, unity, get our things together on internal market, competitiveness. And no more accepting tariff bullying,” a third diplomat said.
Rutte told Reuters in an interview in Davos on Thursday that under the framework deal he reached with Trump the Western allies would have to step up their presence in the Arctic.
He also said talks would continue between Denmark, Greenland and the US on specific issues.
Diplomats stressed that, although Thursday’s emergency EU talks in Brussels would now lose some of their urgency, the longer-term issue of how to handle the relationship with the US remained.
“The approach of a united front in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland while focusing on de-escalation and finding an off-ramp has worked,” a fourth EU diplomat said.
“At the same time it would be good to reflect on the state of the relationship and how we want to shape this going forward, given the experiences of the past week (and year),” he said.
Trump abruptly stepped back on Wednesday from his threat of tariffs on eight European nations, ruled out using force to take Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and suggested a deal was in sight to end the dispute.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, welcoming Trump’s U-turn on Greenland, urged Europeans not to be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership.
But EU governments remain wary of another change of mind by a mercurial president who is increasingly seen as a bully that Europe will have to stand up to, and they are focused on coming up with a longer-term plan on how to deal with the United States under this administration and possibly its successors too.
“Trump crossed the Rubicon. He might do it again. There is no going back to what it was. And leaders will discuss it,” one EU diplomat said, adding that the bloc needed to move away from its heavy reliance on the US in many areas.
“We need to try to keep him (Trump) close while working on becoming more independent from the US It is a process, probably a long one,” the diplomat said.
EU RELIANCE ON US
After decades of relying on the United States for defense within the NATO alliance, the EU lacks the needed intelligence, transport, missile defense and production capabilities to defend itself against a possible Russian attack. This gives the US substantial leverage.
The US is also Europe’s biggest trading partner, making the EU vulnerable to Trump’s policies of imposing tariffs to reduce Washington’s trade deficit in goods, and, as in the case of Greenland, to achieve other goals.
“We need to discuss where the red lines are, how we deal with this bully across the Atlantic, where our strengths are,” a second EU diplomat said.
“Trump says no tariffs today, but does that mean also no tariffs tomorrow, or will he again quickly change his mind? We need to discuss what to do then,” the second diplomat said.
The EU had been considering a package of retaliatory tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108.74 billion) on US imports or anti-coercive measures if Trump had gone ahead with his own tariffs, while knowing such a step would harm Europe’s economy as well as the United States.
WHAT’S THE GREENLAND DEAL?
Several diplomats noted there were still few details of the new plan for Greenland, agreed between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte late on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“Nothing much changed. We still need to see details of the Greenland deal. We are a bit fed up with all the bullying. And we need to act on a few things: more resiliency, unity, get our things together on internal market, competitiveness. And no more accepting tariff bullying,” a third diplomat said.
Rutte told Reuters in an interview in Davos on Thursday that under the framework deal he reached with Trump the Western allies would have to step up their presence in the Arctic.
He also said talks would continue between Denmark, Greenland and the US on specific issues.
Diplomats stressed that, although Thursday’s emergency EU talks in Brussels would now lose some of their urgency, the longer-term issue of how to handle the relationship with the US remained.
“The approach of a united front in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland while focusing on de-escalation and finding an off-ramp has worked,” a fourth EU diplomat said.
“At the same time it would be good to reflect on the state of the relationship and how we want to shape this going forward, given the experiences of the past week (and year),” he said.
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