Cops developing Ghostbusters-esque weapon to take out e-bike thugs
- Reference: 1715689811
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/05/14/ghostbuster_ebike_weapon/
- Source link:
In the wretched hives of scum and villainy that are the UK's large towns and cities, petty crooks are increasingly upgrading to the nimble vehicles to better snatch phones or other belongings from the hands of oblivious innocents.
It's legal to ride an e-bike without a license in the UK if it's pedal assisted, has a maximum power output of 250 watts, and is capped at 15.5 mph (25 kph). It's this very silence and speed that makes them the getaway of choice for robberies. The problem is now so prevalent that London's Metropolitan Police has issued [1]guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim.
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Likewise, e-scooters have been involved in [3]20,000 crimes over the past three years. Unlike e-bikes, though, these are actually illegal to privately own – a fact seemingly lost on the parents who zip their kids to school on them. Nevertheless, there are some 750,000 in sheds and garages around the UK.
[4]
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So how does the plod intend to combat this growing menace? We find it hard to imagine that even London's finest could reach and maintain sprinting speeds in excess of 15.5 mph.
According to [6]The Guardian , the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) is working with the government's [7]Defence Science and Technology Lab (Dstl) to develop a weapon of sorts that would disable the vehicles with electromagnetic pulses.
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To deploy another hackneyed '80s movie reference, the device is being likened to the backpacks worn by the Ghostbusters.
[9]Honda cooks up an electric motorbike menu, with sides of connectivity
[10]Electric two-wheelers are set to scoot past EVs in road race
[11]Parisians say au revoir to shared e-scooters
[12]Acer pedals into e-cycle market with AI and big data in its basket
NPCC chair Gavin Stephens told media: "Basically, it interferes with the electric motor, to trick the electric motor into thinking it is overheating. It sends a signal to confuse the electric motor. All these electric motors apparently have an inbuilt safety system that if it thinks it's overheating, it shuts down. At the minute, it's like a ginormous backpack."
Under the oversight of the NPCC's chief scientific adviser, cops aim to have a weapon that is harmless to humans and other electronic devices. Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla in the act of disabling a crook on an e-scooter, though there's a strong argument to be made that this counts as [13]acceptable collateral damage .
Less acceptable would be to zap an elderly person with a pacemaker.
A victim of the crime told The Register : "From my London experience as a victim of phone theft by an e-bike and having witnessed it happen to others, I welcome this if it ends up being a practical 'hit of a button' solution and the motor shuts down. However, if they have to charge/setup the EMP and if the range is short, given how swift these criminals are on their e-wheels, this might not be effective at all.
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"Even then I doubt it will help with the overall issue, though, as that seems to stem mainly from a lack of policing and lack of measures dealing with these criminals when caught."
Indeed. For this to work, we have to assume that it A) makes it out of the lab, and B) the police can be bothered to investigate the crime in the first place. Also, how likely is it that an e-bike thug will snatch a phone in plain sight of an officer wielding the equipment? Though we suppose it is encouraging that they are looking into countermeasures. ®
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[1] https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/personal-safety-how-to-stay-safe/protect-your-mobile-phone-against-criminals-on-bikes-and-mopeds/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZkOKoI6HzKoFdNEa13GXJgAAAI0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.fieldfisher.com/en/injury-claims/insights/e-scooter-legislation-under-scrutiny-after-riders-commit-twenty-thousand-crimes
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZkOKoI6HzKoFdNEa13GXJgAAAI0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZkOKoI6HzKoFdNEa13GXJgAAAI0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/may/13/uk-police-ghostbusters-style-backpack-devices-ebike-getaways
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/02/scifi_mod/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZkOKoI6HzKoFdNEa13GXJgAAAI0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/30/honda_electric_motorbike_plan/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/05/18/electric_scooters_vehicles_asia/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/04/03/parisians_vote_ban_e_scooters/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/03/21/acer_pedals_into_ecycle_market/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/08/tesla_cybertruck_finger_crush/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZkOKoI6HzKoFdNEa13GXJgAAAI0&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
That would involve the met actually doing their job... I won't hold my breath on that.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
Merely owning such a scooter isn't illegal, only using them on public streets.
Currently, only rental e-scooters are "road-legal" (Because reasons).
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
And of course, everyone who buys an e-scooter for £300 or an overpowered e-bike for £5k are only riding them on private land, even though they don't own any land and live in a rented/council flat..
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
"Currently, only rental e-scooters are "road-legal" (Because reasons)"
Because most private citizens don't have big wads of cash in brown envelopes to surreptitiously slide under the table to politicians in exchange for favours.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
More importantly, why aren't they legal?
AFAIK, it's legal for somebody to take a 2-ton automobile on the road, with FAR more deadly consequences.
Legalize them. They're relatively harmless.
If you want to seize and crush something, why not do that to the cops?
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
They might be considered relatively harmless if they obeyed the rules of law, and weren't driven by twats. But since it is possible for a team of pace riders on bicycles to be travelling at nearly 30 mph in a public park, with a 20 mph limit, and actually kill someone without consequence - I'm not holding my breath for common sense here.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
>They might be considered relatively harmless if they obeyed the rules of law, and weren't driven by twats
The number of truck drivers killed every day in London by kids on scooters is unbelievable
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
Feh. ‘Kids on scooters’ who do stupid things near trucks are in need of lessons from the two greatest Englishmen ever: Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton. And will get them. Lucky kids will learn about Newton’s Laws of Motion. Unlucky kids will learn about Natural Selection. Either way, the average intelligence of humanity will increase.
Yes, I used to play Carmaggedon. We need more wholesome, family-friendly entertainment like that. Why, it would keep the kids off the streets.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
But to take that 2-ton automobile on the road, you need to be licensed and receive training to obtain that license.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
No. You only have to be licensed if you want to do it legally. Crooks are not known for respecting the law.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
you need to be licensed and receive training
And, rather importantly, be insured.
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
They can be legal with no change to the law whatsoever. The designer and user just need to make sure they meet the same rules as a road legal motorbike. (i.e. Proper lights, mirrors, proper brakes, registered with the DVLA, road tax paid, valid insurance purchased etc....
Re: Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
And have the government spend the same on dedicated cycle lanes that it spends on motorways
Re: it's legal for somebody to take a 2-ton automobile
They need a licence and insurance.
All ebikes and escooters should need a helmet, moped licence and insurance. Most are faster and more dangerous than a 1960s moped.
The engine size was an old simple rating before high rpm two-stroke engines invented. Anything with more speed or acceleration than an average 50 yo police-person should be treated as a moped (helmet, moped licence and insurance) and anything over a certain acceleration or speed should need a full motorcycle licence. Even 50 years ago some 125cc bikes were faster than British Classic 1950s 500 cc models.
Also horses and horse "buggies" etc should need a rider's licence and insurance for the public road. See recent London havoc or any day in Limerick City.
Re: it's legal for somebody to take a 2-ton automobile
Police horses should certainly have seatbelts and roll cages
Let me be the first to predict that this bullshit
is really just another way for Tory chums to get stuck into the magic money tree that is the UK taxpayer.
The US has been dreaming of things like this for nearly a century. And all it has to show for it is a Concorde size bill for R&D without the Concorde.
"Unlike e-bikes, though, these are actually illegal to privately own..."
Er, so why not go after the people importing/selling them? Or is that too low tech?
Teledyne e2v
Probably this company - 10 years ago they were developing a magnetron device to "stop cars and small boats" - no wonder UK Gov is interested!
https://phys.org/news/2013-12-pulses-immobilize-cars-rf-safe-stop.html
Later it seems they were bought by [1]Teledyne , an aerospace/defence conglomerate which also manufactures magnetrons in the 3-30kW range.
"Police hope the device will be harmless to humans and other devices."
[1] https://www.teledyne-e2v.com/en-us/solutions/rf-power/rf-solutions/rf-directed-energy
If they then catch the crooks...
Will they then be incarcerated in a basement containment facility, built beneath an old fire station?
And if two plod have these gizmos, what happens if they cross the streams?
Danish police already use these ... at least they did to stop a motorbike in an episode of "The Bridge"
An alternative solution might be just to do some basic policing and stop people on illegal escooters/emopeds, charge them with lack of motor insurance and seize and crush the vehicles. (Hint, try anyone with a Deliveroo bag)
We could learn from our American cousins here.
And equip mounted police with lassos.
Unlike e-bikes, though, these are actually illegal to privately own
OK, so I'll bite, since Google isn't helping... WTAF is the difference between an e-bike and an e-scooter, other than the shape? And what part of that makes it illegal?
Re: Unlike e-bikes, though, these are actually illegal to privately own
Very roughly, in the UK (and probably elsewhere) you don't need a license, insurance, VED etc. for a directly human propelled conveyance such as bicycle. For an e-bike to be legal (and this may be changing) the 'e' part can only assist. ie you need to still be pedalling. It can't be the sole method of propulsion. If the motor can propel the conveyance without human effort then it is classed as a motor vehicle.
No problem
When you spot the miscreants, who will be wearing a hoodie on an e-bike, and given the associated level of intelligence, you just follow the extension lead back to their home.
If they're in range for something like this, why not just taser the perp?
Nice bit of hype
" Also, how likely is it that an e-bike thug will snatch a phone in plain sight of an officer wielding the equipment? "
It was so long ago, I can't remember when I last saw an officer on the beat in a public place. So the effectiveness of this tool will primarily depend on whether an officer is in range when an e-scooter mugging occurs - probably never, so the actual effectiveness will be zero.
Countermeasures
A bit of mu-metal wrapped around the motor and controller will fix that.
And, hey "makes the motor think it's overheating" . What on earth makes you think that these dodgy devices have thermal sensors in the motor anyway?
Not viable
The amount of energy required at source would be very large as the inverse square law applies and, even at a couple of meters from the motor, it would need a large battery at the very least. Then you have to factor in legal bike and mobility scooters both of which litter our streets.
Banning hoodies and facial coverings unless the weather is sub zero would be easier to apply. Then you will also have a religious issue to get around....
The only solution is more bobbies actually on the streets. As someone else wrote, illegal scooters should be confiscated on site and disposed of.
Re: Not viable
The inverse square law applies, but the power required for a unidirectional radiator with a small beam width is significantly less than what would be needed for an omni-directional radiator. My guess is this would be a point and shoot type weapon with a vary narrow beam width, therefore quite viable - especially if it is powered from a backpack-style, unlicensed particle accelerator.
Insurance
UK rental e-scooters carry insurance and are registered (and tested) to be safe on our roads, just like all other powered vehicles here and require at least a Provisional Drivers license and a credit card to rent them. Privately owned pedestrian assisted vehicles like e-bikes do not require insurance nor have to be tested for safety.
The problem comes when Daddy buys little Johnny a 15Mph cheap & nasty e-scooter that 10 year old Johnny then rides on the pavement terrorising other users. For some stupid reason we never seem to prosecute the parents for such actions. Their kid, they bought him the e-scooter, their responsibility!
Personally I think all road vehicles (bicycle, horse, scooter, etc.) should be required to carry insurance just like trucks, buses, cars and motorcycles. It is ridiculous that a bicycle or e-bike capable of 30+ Mph does not require insurance but a Moped (limited to 30Mph) does require insurance. Those vehicles designed for use on the pavement (sidewalk for the colonials ;-)) are limited in the UK to no more than 4Mph and do not require insurance or testing as they are no more threat to other users than another pedestrian. Additionally if you ride your bicycle on the pavement you can be nicked for that too, but it is rarely enforced.
Finally, as has already been stated, all of this is moot if there are no Police to be seen anywhere, and no amount of whizzy ray-gun-zappers are going to help with that.
How about we abandon the idea of an EMP pulse for the e-bike and just go straight to a turbo charged taser that can travel quickly and accurately over a reasonable distance to hit the scumbag. In theory the human body can conduct the charge to the e-bike so a double whammy and with luck, the copper might get two goes at shocking, to teach mummies innocent little darling a lesson.
Solution to badly parked e-bikes
Just because you can leave them anywhere, doesn't mean you should.
What if someone in a wheelchair wants to get past that bit of pavement? I mean the difference between being an arsehole and a respectable member of society is ~1ft. Stop being a lazy sod.
My solution to a badly parked e-bike it to remove the battery pack. Hide it:
I assume that is a fairly expensive component. The e-bike-hire companies must know the last person to loan the bike. Make the inconsiderate parkers too expensive. Get them kicked and banned.
Slight practical problem
If you're going to shoot RF energy from anything like a meaningful distance to scramble something's command bus/data you need to one heck of a lot of power and an array that can focus it in the desired direction. I'd be surprised if they cram all that into into something that can be stored in the boot (trunk) of a vehicle, never mind making it portable enough to deploy in time to stop a hooligan making off with someone's phone - and that assumes one is lucky enough to have a Police officer on hand to start with (street policing seems to have all but stopped in everywhere but sensitive areas of London). Added problem: what happens to anyone carrying a mobile device that happens to be in the antenna's envelope? It stops an e-scooter then it'll kill mobile phones, shop tills and anything else within range.
And that's before anyone bangs on about 'it'll give us all cancer/Covid/a morbid desire to watch daytime TV.
Because you don't want to accidentally brick a Tesla
Oh, I dunno...
More seriously, if it's illegal to own the damn things (I though it was only illegal to ride them?) why aren't they being seized on sight, the batteries being pulled, and the scooters crushed?