Covert police operations are to be launched on Hampstead Heath after a surge in muggings.
Regular visitors to the area have noticed a rise in robberies, particularly around Parliament Hill. They have included groups of teenagers beating or intimidating victims.
In some cases, hire bikes have been used to block paths as muggers try to flee with mobile phones and watches, according to local reports. Police have made “several arrests”.
Sergeant Joe Johnson, who is responsible for ward policing in Hampstead, said there had been a rise in robberies across the heath, with six in August and 15 last month.
He added: “To combat this, we have defaulted all of our proactive units to these areas and are looking to conduct several covert operations.”
Dog-walkers have become wary of pathways near Parliament Hill Fields athletics track.
One of them, John Fecle, 55, from Hampstead, said: “There has been a spate of muggings, a few people have seen 10 or 15 teenagers on hire bikes waiting around the corner, blocking the path and then creeping up on them, screaming they had knives and would stab them.”
