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‘Operation Reclaim’ successfully seized over 400 vehicles and made 66 arrests in Croydon on Wednesday.
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Boris Johnson is teaming up with Metropolitan Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe to launch a major crackdown on uninsured drivers.
‘Operation Reclaim’ successfully seized over 400 vehicles and made 66 arrests in Croydon on Wednesday.
Met Officers used Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to coordinate sting attacks in Selhurst, Whitehorse Lane, London Road, Valley Park and Broad Green.
This week Mr Johnson and Mr Hogan-Howe stood in front of a mountain of crushed cars in a graphic depiction of the consequences of driving uninsured.
The Major says law-dodgers are being given the chance to collect their car and face arrest, or watch their vehicle be mashed into scrap metal.
He said: “Operation Reclaim is designed – quite literally – to deliver a crushing blow against crime.”
Met Commander Steve Watson headed Operation Reclaim.
He said 80 percent of the 18,000 people targeted since 2009 were habitual criminals.
“They will use vehicles to carry weapons, drugs and stolen property across London,” he said.
“This operation will seize the cars of those who ignore the law while reclaiming the roads for London’s responsible and law-abiding drivers.
“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.”
Green Party Assembly member Jenny Jones said: “It’s great to see the new Met Commissioner taking a direct approach to tackle the problem of illegal drivers.
“I want the Commissioner to stick to his suggestion that that London should be doing exactly what he achieved in Merseyside.”
The same operation reduced overall crime in Merseyside by 40 percent.
There are 225,000 (8.6%) uninsured drives in the capital.
Figures suggest they are five times more likely to crash.
Uninsured drivers cost £500 million a year to honest motorists.
To report dangerous or illegal road users visit: www.met.police.uk/roadsafelondon
