Surely the majority of these kids have Oyster cards as they are
issued free. Can't a check be made against the cards used on the bus
when the crime was committed? Surely TFL have records of cards issued
and also duplicates of the photo submitted when the card was issued.
I would be astounded if these records were not available. A
coordinated approach between all the organisations would greatly
reduce this crime.

Steve

--- In BromleyNWA@..., "Bromley Neighbourhood Watch
Association" <dave@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> The Met Police "Operation BusTag" Gallery for Bromley (hosted on the
> BromleyNWA website)
> has been recently updated, now that the bus companies have finally
released
> pictures to the
> Transport OCU (CO17) after a gap of several months.
>
> Do you know any of these faces? - Check them out at :
>
> http:// <http://BromleyNWA.org.uk/OperationBusTag>
> BromleyNWA.org.uk/OperationBusTag
>
> This also goes hand-in-hand with the Press Release below.
>
> Best Rgds,
> Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association
> http://BromleyNWA.org.uk
>
>
> ________________________________________________
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> PRESS RELEASE
>
> IF YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT AWAY WITH IT, THINK AGAIN
>
>
>
> [ No embargo exists on this release ]
>
>
> Working in partnership with London's bus companies and Transport
for London
> the Transport OCU's BusTag team is identifying and arresting those
recorded
> on CCTV committing criminal damage on buses which costs in excess
of £8
> Million pounds a year Those responsible believe they are faceless
and can
> evade justice, but BusTag's results to date prove how wrong they
are.
>
>
>
> One 14-year-old youth has pleaded guilty to nineteen counts of
criminal
> damage, which equals nearly £12,000 worth of damage whilst another
> individual has been found guilty, after a three-day trial at a
Crown Court,
> of "Arson with endangerment to life". He has been remanded in
custody
> awaiting sentence and will appear at the Crown Court in November for
> sentencing, pending a psychiatric report.
>
>
>
> The BusTag team work alongside colleagues with local knowledge such
as
> `Safer Schools' and `Safer Neighbourhoods' teams in order to track
down
> those responsible.
>
>
> Chief Superintendent Mike Humphrey, in charge of the Transport
Operational
> Command Unit, said :
>
>
>
> "We are very grateful to local newspapers which have been so
supportive of
> our campaign and we are very happy to continue working with them,
on a
> regular basis. The publication of images in local newspapers
enables us to
> identify offenders in their area, who we will arrest and prosecute.
Some of
> those committing these offences believe that they can never be
tracked down,
> but thanks to extensive newspaper coverage and the hard work of the
BusTag
> team this is certainly not the case. If crimes such as these are
not tackled
> it is everyone who suffers."
>
>
>
> Jeroen Weimar, TfL's Director of Transport Policing and Enforcement
said:
>
>
>
> "Transport for London is committed to providing a safe, secure and
pleasant
> travelling environment for all our passengers and staff. Through
Operation
> BusTag we are working closely with local transport operators, the
> Metropolitan Police and other agencies to crack down on graffiti
and etching
> on London's public transport system.
>
>
>
> "Graffiti causes disruption, creates fear and incurs substantial
costs that
> would be better invested improving the transport network. Together
we can
> tackle this problem and ensure a safer and more reliable journey
for all."
>
>
>
> The number to call
>
>
>
> We are most anxious to contact those people shown in the CCTV
images because
> we believe they can help us with our enquiries about criminal
damage which
> has been committed on buses.
>
> If anyone believes they can identify any of those people they can
contact us
> anonymously on the following telephone numbers :
>
>
> OPERATION BUSTAG Tel: (020) 7027-8950
>
>
> CRIMESTOPPERS Tel: 0800 555 111
>
>
>
>
>
> OPERATION BUSTAG FILM
>
>
>
> The Transport OCU has recently made a film for distribution to all
of
> London's secondary schools. It has been sent to all the MPS' Safer
Schools
> Officers and Safer Neighbourhoods Officers, who will distribute the
film to
> local schools.
>
>
>
> ____________
>