PSA: Robberies - avoid the cycle lane going east on Lea Bridge Road!
On my cycling club's group chat, people have said they saw a masked up gang out on Lea Bridge Road again yesterday evening at around 7.40pm looking to rob people for their bikes. This is likely to be the same gang that's been active for a few weeks. Many of you probably saw the news report that they robbed a guy of his 12 grand bike and beat him up a few weeks ago. They're also apparently targeting people on Bromptons. They seem to be operating early evenings weekdays at the same section of Lea Bridge Road, which is the small bridge on the Marshes. Location is here: https://goo.gl/maps/8jS7uRmZDfXT23X99 and photo of the bridge is below. Note: this is the cycle lane going east, on the north side of the road. I think they hide round the corner just behind the bridge and maybe have spotters further up the road who tell them when someone with an expensive bike is coming. Anyway, as this seems to be a continuing problem, I'd strongly advise you all to avoid going on the cycle lane at this section. There's a bus lane on the road which you can use. You can then reconnect with the cycle lane when the bus lane disappears just past the riding centre.
Apparently my club have been told the police are taking this issue ''seriously'' but I haven't seen any patrols out at all and I'm up and down that road several times a week, and the gang is still operating...so I'll take the police's claims with a pinch of salt...