Moped taken from gated driveway in Greenford in early hours, CCTV shows

A moped has been stolen from a private driveway in Greenford in the early hours of the morning, and the theft was caught on the home's security camera.

The CCTV, shared with UB1UB2 by the owner, shows two people walking up to a gated driveway in the UB6 area at about 2.55am on Thursday 29 October. They appear to work out how to open the gate and then let themselves in.

In the footage, one of them looks over the moped while the other tries to hold the gate open. When the gate swings shut behind them, they push it back open, wheel the moped out onto the street and run off down the road with it.

The camera's timestamp shows the pair were still at the property at 2.56am, which suggests the whole theft took only a few minutes. A car was parked on the same driveway at the time.

Appeal for footage

The owner is asking anyone who was in the area around that time, or who saw anyone pushing a moped along the street in the early hours of Thursday 29 October, to come forward.

Neighbours with doorbell cameras or home CCTV that faces the road are being asked to check their recordings from between about 2.45am and 3.15am. Footage from nearby streets could show which way the moped was taken.

The Metropolitan Police has not publicly commented on the theft, and no arrests have been confirmed.

Anyone with information can contact the police on 101 or report online through the Metropolitan Police website. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, or if a crime is happening right now, call 999.

Protecting mopeds and scooters

The Metropolitan Police says mopeds and scooters can be stolen very quickly, especially when they have little or no security. It advises owners to use more than one type of security so a bike is harder to steal and less tempting to thieves.

The force recommends using a disc lock, grip lock or D-lock to secure the wheels and controls. It also suggests putting a strong chain through the rear wheel, because front wheels can be taken off easily, and keeping the chain off the ground where possible.

Police also suggest covering a moped when it is parked, because a cover hides the make and model. Marking the bike and its parts can help police identify it if it is found.

Where possible, owners are advised to fix a ground anchor to the driveway and lock the bike to it. A gate alone may not stop thieves, as this case shows. Cameras that cover the gate and the street can also help police if a bike is taken.

Anyone who sees people acting suspiciously around parked vehicles at night is asked to call 999 if a crime is happening, or 101 otherwise.