The Met Commissioner and Mayor of London launch major crime busting operation

19 October 2011

And in a graphic warning to rogue motorists Commissioner Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, are using a pile of crushed cars to demonstrate the consequences of being uninsured.

In a co-ordinated series of operations across the capital, the MPS is targeting those drivers who are more likely to be involved in criminal activity, five times more likely to be involved in collisions and less likely to have vehicles in a road-worthy condition.

This action follows a commitment by Commissioner Hogan-Howe to target criminals and disrupt their activities.

Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "This is the first of the operations I have asked for where officers across the Met will spend a dedicated day on a regular basis targeting uninsured drivers and those believed to be connected to crime.

"We know from experience approximately 80 per cent of uninsured drivers are criminals. They're also more likely to be involved in crashes and have unsafe cars so we're taking this action to make London's roads safer.

"Driving without insurance is an offence and this operation will seize the cars of those who ignore the law, while reclaiming the roads for London's responsible and law abiding drivers."

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "Operation Reclaim is designed - quite literally - to deliver a crushing blow against crime. Bernard Hogan-Howe demonstrated its success in Merseyside where crime fell by 40 per cent and this new push in London shows how serious we all are about making the city safer.

"Criminals are being given the opportunity to come and collect theirs cars and face arrest or simply watch their vehicles get crushed. I'm confident this day of action is one of many new effective measures the Commissioner is enforcing to bring down crime in the capital and he has my full support."

Leading today's operation, Commander Steve Watson from the MPS added: "The majority of uninsured drivers are also habitual criminals. Those engaged in criminality will use vehicles to transport themselves across London and beyond to commit crime. They will also use vehicles to carry weapons, drugs and stolen property. This initiative brings our officers into contact with criminals and, through the robust enforcement of the law, disrupts their offending and enables us to bring them to book.

"Uninsured drivers are also five times more likely to be involved in collisions and so this initiative will also help to make the roads safer. Driving without insurance is an offence which actually affects everyone. The reality is that everyone who does insure their vehicles has to pay a significant premium to cater for those who can't be bothered - this is simply unacceptable.

"Our message to uninsured drivers is to get it sorted immediately. Otherwise we will seize your vehicle and prosecute you - it's just a matter of time."

Today's activities come under the MPS Operation Reclaim initiative which was originally launched in 2007. The operation will be a sustained campaign to target uninsured drivers to disrupt criminal activity and improve the safety of London's roads.

Roadside check points using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) will be deployed at a number of locations, while officers across the capital will be actively pursuing uninsured drivers using fixed cameras or routine number plate checks.

Uninsured vehicles will be immediately seized and potentially destroyed, while offenders will be prosecuted. The penalty for driving a vehicle without insurance is six penalty points and a £200 fine, and can even lead to a driving ban. In 2010 the MPS seized 34,000 vehicles and prosecuted thousands of people.

To highlight the consequences of not insuring vehicles, a small selection of seized and crushed cars will be on display in Horse Guards Parade, Westminster this Wednesday afternoon.

Supporting today's operation Neil Drane, Head of Database Services from the Motor Insurers' Bureau, said: "It's great to see the Metropolitan Police using their resources to target uninsured drivers in London at this time. A campaign like this sends a strong message to unlawful motorists that uninsured driving will not be tolerated by making enforcement action highly visible. Police roadside enforcement remains a significant threat to offenders and has a massive impact in keeping our roads safe.

"MIB is committed to supporting police forces across the UK and helping them to disrupt criminality on our roads."

Driving without insurance is an offence under the Road Traffic Act. Officers can use powers under Section 163 of the Road Traffic Act to stop vehicles to check whether they are being driven with the correct insurance and driving licence.

According to the Motors Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers increase other drivers' insurance premiums by £30. They are also five times more likely to be involved in road collisions.

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