Seems inevitable with the rise of stupidly expensive bicycles. They only mention Richmond Park.
Yeah, it’s been widely shared by our club since the first incident. I’ve had my mum message me a few weeks ago concerned by it. It’s quite a long time since I have ridden repetitive laps in there. It’s normally a transit point. I think I’ll largely be skipping the Park now unless I’m in a group
With this level of violence, and the fairly specific location, you’d think the met would have been able to setup some cctv around all the entrance/exit points fairly easily. In all honesty, given street level stop and search, you could fairly easily do the same to any motorcyclist riding through the park for a period of a month or something
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On my way through on both Wednesday and Friday I saw a police patrol car sat near Pen Ponds car park, so hopefully they’re getting on top of it
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Perhaps we should tool up on our bikes and steal a few mopeds back, that’ll larn em.
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Is this why ST conceal carry? 
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This is quite surprising…… the people concerned have no interest in riding high end road bikes.
Even though they are of great value a “ ting” is only worth what you can sell it for.
Who is buying these bikes?
I’ve been offered a carbon disc and a full bike ( Cervelo ) at silly money 3? Years ago, the “owner”obviously wasn’t … and I walked away.
Stripped for parts on flea bay…? Possibly but they normally like to get rid quick.
Fairly sure it’s organised crime and I’ve heard of these being exported to Europe for sale. They’ll always be someone who’ll buy it.
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I guess they might sell online if they pitch it at a bargain but not ridiculously cheap level
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Sad but true I guess.
Very recognisable … in this country at least
Apart from the bloke interviewed by the BBC and the Alpecin Fenix pro who was dragged along the road for 100m while hanging on to his bike, it’s not clear how many people have actually been relieved of their bikes by machete-wielding gangs. I suspect very few. It’s not a great business model to knock the rider off the expensive bike, probably damaging it before you steal it.
The noise on the news and social media does seem to be scaring people. I rode through the Park on my way home from my long ride today and there was still a lot of cyclists around. When I was stopped at the lights at the Putney High Street/Upper Richmond Road crossroads someone asked me if I’d been to the Park and if it was OK. I think he was expecting me to say that I’d had to run the gauntlet of motorbike gangs.
I think if gangs are targeting cyclists for organised crime then they are probably harvesting info from Strava and social media and robbing people’s homes. I’ve heard stories about motorbike gangs breaking into houses, sheds and garages and stealing multiple bikes.
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No bikes here officer 
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That seems to be the aim for much of the reporting these days…
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This is usually the planned stuff…opportunist crime, especially violent crime, is usually for minimal risk and quick returns…
Does that guy own a coffee shop?
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That video footage looks like Regents Park.
Have there been thefts there too, or is that just closer to Broadcasting House?