British Transport Police has increased its presence across the London rail network through a series of anti-robbery operations, resulting in over 60 people being arrested throughout January.
Operation Invert, looking to tackle robbery and knife crime on the railway network, has seen multiple weekly proactive patrols of stations across London involving dozens of officers.
This includes specialist plain-clothed officers working together with highly visible patrols, as well as operations in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service.
Of the 64 people arrested for various offences between December 31 and February 3, 35 were for robbery, while 15 weapons were seized from people carrying them on the rail network.
Some charges secured via January’s Op Invert deployments include:
A 16-year-old from Croydon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, charged with robbery.A 16-year-old from Bromley, who cannot be named for legal reasons, charged with robbery.
Court outcomes in January also include:
A 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy from Keighley, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who plead guilty to one count of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery of other teenagers at Bingley railway station in 2023. The pair have been served Youth Rehabilitation Orders, meaning they will remain under an electronically monitored curfew for three months.22-year-old Mahamadou Jawara from Barking Road in Newham, who plead guilty to four counts of robbery and seven counts of theft and was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years and to pay £2,200 in compensation. The court heard how Jawara had, between January and June of 2020, committed a series of snatch thefts and robberies of phones, taking them from people before running off the train.
Operational lead, Superintendent John Loveless said: “Tackling robbery on the rail network is a force priority and we have zero tolerance for these types of offences.
“We’ve had multiple Operation Invert deployments throughout January, and I’m pleased to see the number of arrests made as a result.
“We’re aware of the number of youth offenders involved in robbery and we’re continuing to explore the use further preventative restrictions, such as Criminal Behaviour Orders and Youth Rehabilitation Orders, to ensure we are doing all we can to deter these offences.
“We are committed to tackling robbery and weapon possession on the network and we would like to reassure the public that this activity will be continuing going forward.”
Passengers are encouraged to save BTP’s 61016 text-to-report number in their phones and to download the Railway Guardian app and report anything they witness that seems suspicious or unusual.
If a robbery has just happened, always dial 999 – officers can immediately deploy to a location and begin immediate enquiries to trace offenders.
