London riots: hundreds of suspects still wanted two years on, as Boris Johnson warns the 'mugs' won't get away with it

 
Blaze: Riot police on the scene during rioting in Tottenham two years ago
7 August 2013
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Hundreds of rioters who caused devastation during the riots which spread across London two years ago are still at large, the Standard has learned.

New figures from Scotland Yard show that 325 suspects are still on their wanted list on the second anniversary of the disturbances.

The identities of just 12 are known to the Metropolitan Police although it has CCTV footage of all of them.

Critics today suggested that police cuts had left the force without the resources to track down 101 suspects in South London and 224 in North London — and there were warnings that the Met might be unable to provide adequate cover if riots ever happened again on the streets of the capital.

The force has made 4,959 arrests under Operation Withern, the investigation into the riots, including 142 in the past six months.

Top row from left: Tevikchem Binatli Faces charges of disorder, Darren David Thomas suspected of burglary, Mohammed Abdi Warsame Accused of burglary. Bottom row: Gabriela Muza alleged burglary at JD Sports, Timothy McDonagh Accused of burglary, Robert Kennedy Wanted for an alleged burglary at JD Sports, James Timothy Barker Suspected of burglary

Mayor Boris Johnson warned the suspects still at large that they were certain to be caught by police. He said: “If there are still 325 to be caught, if I were them I would not in any way feel confident they were going to get away with it.

“You can see what mugs these people were to get involved because there was amazing evidence against them.

“These people are very, very good now at sifting through the CCTV and making the case against you.”

The Mayor told LBC Radio the Met was doing a “blinding” job getting resources onto the front line and denied that police numbers would go down in Croydon or Tottenham, the two areas worst affected by riots.

But the number of suspects still at large will raise concerns that the police are too overstretched to prioritise the outstanding cases.

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Some London MPs also fear the Met would be unable to provide adequate cover in the event of future incidents, with 1,126 fewer officers and 1,368 fewer PCSOs in June 2013, the latest figures available, than in August 2011 — when more than 1,700 officers from outside London had to be called in to help contain the riots.

Clockwise from top left: Josephine O’Neill Wanted for alleged burglary, Noor Salman Faces charges of violent disorder and burglary, Muusa Basim Suspected of robbery, Leonard Neamu Wanted for alleged burglary, Taz Danis Wanted for burglary

Tottenham MP David Lammy said: “We need a police service that has the reserves to keep control of London’s streets if the worst happens and the resources to catch each and every one of the perpetrators. We didn’t then and we certainly don’t two years later.”

Of the almost 5,000 arrests under Operation Withern, 3,145 individuals have faced justice with more than 1,000 rioters sent to jail.

Tony Arbour, Conservative London Assembly member, said: “The only area where the police came out of the riots with any credit was when, together with the justice system, some criminals were swiftly and properly punished.

“However, it is wholly unacceptable that there are still several hundred suspects at large. Their failure to prosecute those that they have identified as crooks tarnishes their achievement.

“Criminals need to know there will be consequences to their actions.”

Haringey Council leader Claire Kober said: “It’s important that those identified by police as taking part in disorder two years ago are brought to justice.”

A Met Police spokeswoman said: “We have not given up trying to identify individuals who we believe were concerned in the disorder and we urge the public to visit our dedicated Met website where a number of images of those outstanding can be found. We would encourage anyone who has information to make contact with us.”

Meanwhile, the compensation scheme for uninsured losses to businesses was criticised for being out-of-date. Lib Dem Assembly member Stephen Knight said: “The 2011 riots highlighted how the Riot Damages Act of 1886 is now no longer fit for purpose. Two years on it is now imperative that we have in place a compensation scheme that provides appropriate support in future.”

If anyone has information on any of the suspects please call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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