Do you know any of these seven offenders?

The Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) Safer Transport Command (STC) is continuing to work in partnership with Transport for London (TfL) and London bus companies to identify and arrest offenders of bus criminal damage.

The STC, funded by TfL, have a proactive team called Operation BusTag which is dedicated to identifying through on-bus Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), arresting and bringing to justice individuals who have committed criminal damage to the buses.

Since BusTag's inception it has tripled the number of arrests of offenders of bus criminal damage, which takes the form of graffiti, window etching, seat and window damage, and arson, which costs the bus companies millions of pounds in repairs every year.

More than 95% of the arrests made as a result of BusTag investigations have resulted in serious consequences for the offender, ranging from fines and community service to imprisonment.

Date & Ref	Image	Description
23/09/2010   Ref: 1781		Seat (urine) and windscreen damage Route  87 Boards: 2245   @ En route Alights: 2315 @ Near Wandsworth Bus Stand
29/08/2010 Ref: 1710		Broken windscreen wiper Route  N155 Boards/Alights : 0056  @ Upper Tooting Rd
17/04/2010 Ref: 1395A		Graffiti Route  N155 Boards: 0034 @ Clapham Common Alights: 0042 @ Balham High Rd
22/07/2010 Ref: 1661		Front door glass smashed Route  28 Boards/Alights: 1920 @ Wandsworth Bridge Rd
10/07/2010 Ref: 1654		Front door glass smashed Route  319 Boards/Alights: 1222 @ Trinity Rd
07/01/2011 Ref 1960		Front door glass smashed Route  N155 Boards/Alights: 0105 @ Tooting High St
22/01/2011 Ref: 1988		Rear door glass smashed Route  N37 Boards/Alights: 0210 @ Clapham Common

Chief Superintendent Joe Royle, Safer Transport Command said:
“The Safer Transport Command is working with Transport for London to keep London moving safely  Our Operation BusTag is an effective tactic in confronting people who commit acts of bus criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.

“These people may think they have got away with it. They are wrong. We are determined that all offenders of bus criminal damage are brought to justice and we will leave no stone unturned in our endeavour to do so.

“However without successful identification there can be no arrests. By publishing the images in the local press there is an even stronger chance of identification through the local community to whom we are extremely grateful for any information received.

“If you do commit an act of bus criminal damage you will be caught and prosecuted with the aid of CCTV and any other means at our disposal.”

BusTag’s latest circulation of a large number of suspects is a concerted effort to identify those involved in bus criminal damage. This supports the MPS and TfL’s commitment to reduce crime and antisocial behavior on London’s Buses.  All CCTV stills from incident footage are circulated initially within the Police network before passing them on to the public sector for identification.

BusTag officers are highly skilled and effective in CCTV identification and work alongside colleagues with local knowledge such as Safer Transport Teams, Safer Neighbourhood Teams and Safer Schools to track down those responsible.

Since November 2004, BusTag has achieved over 3000 arrests for bus criminal damage. Successful prosecution can result in serious consequences for the offender who can expect to receive court sentences such as heavy fines, community service, or imprisonment.

Steve Burton, Transport for London’s Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing, said:
“Graffiti and window etching are the sort of vandalism that creates an intimidating environment which our passengers should not have to put up with.  With thousands of CCTV cameras on London’s 8,500 buses and the help of local papers such as this one, we are able to bring these vandals to justice so that Londoners can travel safely and do so in a clean and comfortable environment.”

February 10, 2011