Stunning footage shows the moment a suspected moped thief is rammed off his bike by specially trained police after a high speed chase through east London.

The dash-cam video shows a police car smashing into the motorbike in Victoria Park as officers carry out the so called 'tactical contact' in full view of pedestrians on a busy street.

The incident, filmed for a Channel 5 documentary, captures in graphic detail the Metropolitan Police's tough new tactics to crackdown on the scooter crime wave that has plagued the capital.

Last year the hardline method was rolled out across the country after a surge in incidents involving yobs on mopeds grabbing people's phones, watches and bags, smashing their way into jewellery shops and stabbing anyone who got in their way.

Last month a gang in London, were jailed for a total of 68 years and Scotland Yard detectives said it had helped cut moped crime by 52 per cent in a year.

But the tactics have caused controversy, and recently the case of PC Edwin Sutton was thrown in the spotlight, after he faced a police disciplinary for knocking down a thief on a motorbike. He was cleared of any wrongdoing in May.

Officers for the Met Police, which has declared war on the yobs by launching a special taskforce dubbed Operation Venice, are filmed for the programme responding to reports of a suspect on a red moped in a Hi-Vis vest.

Teams are shown racing to where the suspect was last spotted, with on board cameras filming the moment the moped rider swerves around another vehicle up ahead.

Seconds later it heads straight for the second police car, then attempts to manoeuvre around it, before the officer deliberately aims his vehicle into him, smashing him into the bonnet, and throwing the rider into the air.

The moped attempts to manoeuvre around another police car as the rider attempts to escape

The moped suspect then smashes into the bonnet and the rider is thrown to the ground, before he is surrounded by officers

Cameras film the suspect attempting to flee, before an officer sprays him with a high tech 'water pistol', used to mark suspects with invisible liquid that can later be used to link them to a crime.

The aerosol cans drenches the culprit with a forensically-tagged liquid called SelectaDNA, which stays on skin, clothes and vehicles for three months, and glows under UV light.

Several officers can then be seen grappling the suspect to the ground, before he is handcuffed and arrested. The rider doesn't appear injured after the crash, and is treated by ambulance crews.

An officer tells the Channel 5 documentary Snatch and Grab: Moped Gangs on the Rampage: 'The conclusion to the pursuit was brought about by tactical contact.

As the suspect attempts to flee an officer sprays him with a high tech 'water pistol' which are used to mark moped thugs with invisible liquid that can later be used to link them to a crime

Several officers can then be seen grappling the suspect to the ground, before he is arrested. The rider doesn't appear injured after the crash, and is treated by ambulance crews

'That is one of the many strands of options we have to us.

'In this case it was simply justified for the manner of riding, on a footpath, through a park, endangering peoples lives.

What is police guidance on 'tactical contact'? Police said guidance on the use of vehicles in stopping mopeds is similar to that surrounding the use of force by officers on foot. Officers are told they can only use force when it is 'absolutely necessary, reasonable and proportionate'. Police car drivers have to keep this in mind when deciding whether to crash into a fleeing moped mugger. Whereas police may have been more reluctant to chase robbers without helmets in previous years, the spike in moped crime has concentrated the minds of Scotland Yard chiefs. More training for 'scorpion' drivers and the increasingly dangerous tactics used by muggers has led to the method being more widely used. Advertisement

'We can't allow that to continue.

'If we hadn't have done this, what would he have done further down the road.'

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of five offences, failing to stop for police, suspected theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a class a drug with intent to supply, failing a roadside drug test and dangerous driving.

It is unclear if he was ever charged or convicted.

Another police officer tells the documentary: 'We have no desire to knock them off and cause any injury to them.

'However, that is a tactic that is available to us. If it is appropriate for us to use it, we will use it.'

The documentary also interviews members of the moped gangs committing crimes, and vigilantes who risk their lives to hunt the criminals.

The 'tactical contact' method used by the police to catch thieves sees police knocking crooks off their scooters or dumping them on the bonnets of police cars.

It faced criticism when it was first unveiled, as Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abott criticising the method, saying officers are 'not above the law.'

The Hackney MP tweeted: 'Knocking people off bikes is potentially very dangerous. It shouldn't be legal for anyone.

'Police are not above the law.'

Dedicated Met police officer who faced TWO YEARS of hell after he took down a moped mugger Police driver Edwin Sutton faced disciplinary procedures after he caused a crash with a suspected moped bandit he was chasing. He was accused of driving his vehicle into the path of a moped being ridden by a 17-year-old in South London in May 2017. The teenager was not seriously hurt. PC Edwin Sutton (right) receives a long-service award in 2011 from Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson But he endured a two year ordeal, despite the Met Police hailing the robust tactic for reducing crime. The Independent Office for Police Conduct recommended gross misconduct proceedings against PC Sutton who could have been fired if the case was proven. Met Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said: 'What message does this case send? We believe this officer acted within guidelines, but is being fed to the wolves. It's not right.' He was finally cleared of any wrongdoing last month. Advertisement

But officers from Camden Police, one of the London boroughs with the highest rates of moped-enabled crime– responded her tweet, saying: 'Someone who's responsible for law-making (or at least debating and ratifying new legislation) should probably realise that using tactical contact to terminate dangerous pursuits is entirely within our lawful power... And our responsibility.'

As well as support from Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Prime Minister Theresa May also backed the action, saying: 'Moped crime has been an issue for some time.

'And I think it's absolutely right that as these people are acting unlawfully – they are committing crimes - that we see a robust police response to that.'

Last year violence involving moped gangs was common place in the capital and other large towns and cities.

Some moped robbers hit 30 victims in one hour alone, with those coming out of tube stations seen as an easy target. Police officers have also been injured by thieves riding directly into them.

Victims of the spate of incidents included ex chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and comedian Michael McIntyre, who was robbed of his Rolex by two men on a moped while parked outside his children's school.

Scotland Yard was previously frustrated in catching the criminals, who often discarded their helmets to make officers think twice before chasing them.

Latest Met figures now show the number of thefts and snatches in London halved in the 12 months up to the end of March.

Figures show there were 11,390 moped-enabled offences in the year 2018-19, compared with 23,896 in the same period the previous year.

Last month a gang of moped thieves exposed by BGT judge Amanda Holden for threatening to snatch a toddler were jailed for a total of 68 years.

The 12-strong mob carried out a series of high-profile raids around the capital - even trying to steal TV cameras from bridges on the university boat race route - before making off on mopeds.

Ms Holden got involved after four gang members were caught on CCTV targeting her neighbour, Pheobe Ruele, as she walked her little son home from nursery last summer.

Bearded gang ringleader Terry Marsh, along with Steven Weller, John McFadyen and his brother Isaac, tried to rob Miss Reule in the middle of the road, demanding 'give me your rings or I'm going to hurt your child'.

They were spotted by a group of builders who chased them off brandishing scaffold poles.

The gang were finally rounded up following another raid, after a 90-minutes chase through 10 London boroughs, which ended when one pair slid off their bike while trying to take a corner at high speed.

All four were jailed at Kingston Crown Court, along with six other members of the 12-strong gang who were also responsible for a string of high profile raids across London. Two were spared jail.

The gang were behind the theft of £170,000 of camera equipment used to film the Oxford and Cambridge boat race.

Nine of the 12 had racked up 383 previous convictions for burglaries, handling stolen goods, car theft, aggravated vehicle taking, assault and robberies between them. The other three men had no previous criminal records.

Taking the criminals off the streets has helped cut moped crime in the capital by 52 per cent in a year, the Metropolitan Police claim.

Snatch and Grab: Moped Gangs on the Rampage in on Channel 5 tonight at 10pm.

Moped gang exposed by Amanda Holden who threatened a child and stole £170,000 Boat Race camera in seven-month crime spree are jailed for 68 years A gang of moped 'scumbags' exposed by BGT judge Amanda Holden for threatening to snatch a toddler were jailed for a total of 68 years in May. The 12-strong mob carried out a series of high-profile raids around the capital - even trying to steal TV cameras from bridges on the university boat race route - before making off on mopeds. Ms Holden got involved after four gang members were caught on CCTV targeting her neighbour, Pheobe Ruele, as she walked her little son home from nursery last summer. Bearded gang ringleader Terry Marsh, along with Steven Weller, John McFadyen and his brother Isaac, tried to rob Miss Reule in the middle of the road, demanding 'give me your rings or I'm going to hurt your child'. They were spotted by a group of builders who chased them off brandishing scaffold poles. The gang were finally rounded up following another raid, after a 90-minutes chase through 10 London boroughs, which ended when one pair slid off their bike while trying to take a corner at high speed. Helicopter footage shows the moment three of the gang slid off their moped after a chase which had lasted more than 90 minutes and spanned 10 London boroughs, with all three piled onto the same bike. At one point they even drove the wrong way up the A40 into oncoming traffic to try to shake off the helicopter, police motorbikes and dog units chasing them They were chased into a graveyard when one was detained. Officers discovered a hammer, screwdriver, angle grinder and large knife underneath the seat cover of one of the mopeds Footage of the attack in Richmond, south west London, was tweeted by the Britain's Got Talent judge who urged the public to call the police 'if u know these scumbags' after it happened last June All four were jailed at Kingston Crown Court, along with six other members of the 12-strong gang who were also responsible for a string of high profile raids across London. Two were spared jail. The gang were behind the theft of £170,000 of camera equipment used to film the Oxford and Cambridge boat race. Nine of the 12 had racked up 383 previous convictions for burglaries, handling stolen goods, car theft, aggravated vehicle taking, assault and robberies between them. The other three men had no previous criminal records. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline after the gang were convicted, Amanda Holden said: 'I'm delighted these criminals have been brought to justice. It's nice to see how social media can work in a positive way when we all work together.' The thugs, aged between 18 and 36, and who were all linked to ringleader Marsh, 32, appeared for 12 offences, including conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to burgle, conspiracy to steal, criminal damage and handling stolen goods. Judge Georgina Kent told the 12-strong gang, who were crowded into the dock at Kingston Crown Court: 'Many offences were committed using motorbikes or mopeds, often stolen with false number plates. Many offences were committed at night.' Members of the gang are pictured climbing on Putney Bridge in order to steal expensive camera equipment for the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race Footage taken from below shows them trying to break the rigging to get the camera Judge Georgina Kent sentenced them, saying: 'All 12 of you have been involved in conspiracies to steal, burgle and rob as well as other offences. 'Between you you have caused a great deal of harm, loss and damage to a large number of victims. Ringleader Terry Marsh admitted conspiracy to rob, conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to burgle. He was sentenced to 13 years and two months 'Apart from the financial cost, there's the human cost in anxiety, distress and fear caused to the victims and to those who witnessed and heard about the offences. Your offending has cost a great deal in police resources. 'These were very professional planned and organised offences. The common denominator is Terry Marsh.' She said there was little forensic or physical evidence to the crimes which were mostly carried out at night and added: 'Terry Marsh was supremely organised and diligent in rotating SIM cards and phones he used.' The judge continued: 'At about 12.30pm on 21st June 2018 Mr Marsh, Mr Weller, Isaac McFadyen and John McFadyen attempted to rob a young mother who was with her child. 'This was an extremely serious offence, the robbery was captured on CCTV and reported in the media. 'Apart from the impact on the victim, the nature of offences caused shock and concern to those who heard about it.' The McFadyen brothers approached the mother Phoebe Reule as she was walking hand in hand with her three-year-old son after picking him up from nursery. 'To threaten a mother with violence towards a very young child and to threaten to take the child away is a most effective and distressing threat. 'I have no doubt that this offence would have struck fear into any parent who heard about it.' Taking the criminals off the streets has helped cut moped crime in the capital by 52 per cent in a year, the Metropolitan Police claim. The gang's illegal activity first came to light on New Year's Eve 2017 after a ram raid on outdoor clothing company Altimus Ltd in Kensington using a stolen Range Rover and several mopeds. Three were arrested last May after a high-speed police chase that lasted more than 90 minutes and spanned 10 London boroughs. The trio, who were piled on the same moped and drove the wrong way up the A40, tried to film their escape attempt.

Advertisement