The Met’s new fleet of e-bikes will be a ‘game-changer’ in the fight against knife crime and phone theft, Scotland Yard said.

The force has increased its electronic Sur-Ron vehicles from five to 25 in an effort to combat street crime.

The e-bikes are able to mount pavements, weave through back alleys and go up and down steps in the pursuit of suspects attempting to make their getaways using mopeds, bikes or on foot.

The Met said this would allow officers to ‘reach and catch criminals in places inaccessible to conventional police motorcycles and cars’, and described the expanded fleet as ‘a game changer in the fight against phone theft’.

Louise Puddefoot, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for frontline policing, said: ‘Expanding our Sur-Ron fleet gives officers another powerful tool to stay one step ahead of criminals.

‘These bikes allow officers to move quickly through busy streets, access areas traditional vehicles cannot reach, respond faster to crime and arrest more suspects.

‘Criminals are using high-powered, often illegally modified e-bikes to commit offences such as phone theft and robbery.

‘By expanding this capability, we are ensuring our officers have the tools they need to disrupt criminality and keep Londoners safe.’

Police on a new e-bike in pursuit of a suspect through a housing estate last week

The suspect, left, fled on foot and leapt over a fence with the police giving chase on two wheels

The suspected was detained a short time later, well away from the main road 

The new fleet of crime-fighting e-bikes

In another case last week, officers on e-bikes mounted the pavement to keep chase with a suspect

The suspect, who fled on foot, was later arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs

Footage released by the Met today shows examples of the new vehicles in action, after being rolled out across Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Hammersmith & Fulham.

In one case last week, an officer was able to pursue and eventually detain a person suspected of riding an illegal and uninsured e-bike as they attempted to flee the scene.

Days later, officers were able to arrest a suspect who had fled through traffic and onto a housing estate before, with one officer mounting the pavement to keep pace with the alleged assailant.

The suspect was later found in possession of a significant quantity of Class A drugs, and was already disqualified from driving, the Met said.

Latest police figures show so-called neighbourhood crime was down 14 per cent on the previous year, including a marked reduction in theft, personal robberies and vehicle offences.

Policing minister Sarah Jones said: ‘People should be able to enjoy everything London has to offer without any concern of becoming a victim of crime.

‘By rolling out these new Sur-Ron bikes, officers can now reach any incidents more quickly, target offenders more effectively and crack down on crime in some of the busiest parts of the capital.’

London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the new fleet ‘sends a clear message that London will not tolerate criminal behaviour’.

He said: ‘These bikes have been successfully helping the Met to go after offenders who are increasingly using high-powered, illegally modified e-bikes to commit crimes and it’s great to be able to expand the fleet.’