Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a spate of five acid attacks during street robberies across east London late last night all thought to be connected.
T
he Home Office is considering tough new restrictions on corrosive substances after a new string of acid attacks in London, amid calls from one London MP for tougher sentences for possession of harmful acids.
Overnight, a 16-year-old boy was arrested as police launched a major investigation into a series of acid attacks that took place in less than 90 minutes across east London on Thursday night, with one victim said to have suffered life-changing injuries.
The Labour MP for East Ham, Stephen Timms, said carrying acid should be made an offence and suggested licensing the purchase of Sulphuric acid, likening it to carrying a knife.
A corrosive substance was thrown by two suspects on a moped in Haggerston in the first attack at around 10.30pm in Hackney Road.
A 32-year-old moped rider had face injuries when they pulled up alongside him at the traffic lights with Queensbridge Road and hurled the substance in his face.
One of the robbers riding pillion stole the man’s moped and the two thieves fled.
The injured man was taken to hospital, but was not being treated as a life threatening or life changing condition.
Shortly after, a corrosive substance was thrown in the face of a man in another attack in Shoreditch High Street just a mile away—by two men on a moped. The victim was also taken to hospital.
Another attack happened during a robbery in Cazenove Road in Clapton where a corrosive substance was hurled in a man’s face. He was also treated in hospital.
Yet another acid attack took place at 11.37pm nearby in Chatsworth Road in Homerton when thieves pulled up alongside a moped rider at traffic lights and sprayed liquid in his face before stealing his machine and escaping.
The victim managed to make his way home before contacting police, and was then taken to hospital.
An attack was reported earlier at Highbury in north London at about 10.50pm by two moped riders at Highbury Corner.
All five incidents are being treated by police as linked, Scotland Yard confirmed this-morning.
A teenager has since been arrested on suspicion of GBH and robbery and is being held in custody in east London.
Met police commissioner Cressida Dick, speaking on LBC on Friday morning, said it was probably in some respects easier than people think it ought to be to buy the substances.
Some of them are things that are frequently used in domestic situations and others, of course, why on earth would a normal person need sulphuric acid, for example, why would you need that? she said.
A Downing Street spokesman said: It’s already an offence to carry a corrosive substance with an intent to cause harm; anyone using it can be prosecuted for a very serious offence of ABH or GBH. We are working with the police to see what more we can do.
Detectives from Hackney CID are appealing for any witnesses to last night’s spate of acid attacks or anyone with information to contact police on 101, tweet @MetCC, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.