According to British media, Albanian gangs have compiled lists of luxury bikes worth thousands of pounds in London's affluent Regent's Park, with the aim of stealing them. Reports say that in recent months there has been a wave of robberies, between 5 and 7 in the morning, with cyclists using the park before cars are allowed to circulate.
Several British cycling groups are preparing a letter to London's police chief, Sir Mark Rowley, calling for increased patrols in the area. Media reports say police have informed victims that the attacks are being carried out by an Albanian gang, which is sending the stolen goods to Russia, circumventing sanctions imposed on the country following its invasion of Ukraine.
The Regent's Park Cyclists group said more than 30 cycling clubs, with over 5,000 members, have been instructed to step up safety measures in the area.
"The perpetrators are really looking for specific individuals. They don't have license plates, they remove the plates from their bikes and they wear hoods. They are clearly organized," said Sean Epstein, president of the Regent's Park Cyclists group.
