Technology has facilitated the growth of the food delivery gig economy in London. However, in parallel, there has been a growth in moped theft and moped enabled crime in recent years, with food delivery couriers becoming a particular target. Not only can a stolen moped have a devastating impact on a courier’s livelihood, the moped is then used to commit other offences, such as drive-by possession snatches, fuelling a wider criminal network.

This report makes 24 recommendations to protect couriers and prevent crime. These include:

• Creating an independent organisation to collate self-reported courier experiences of crime.
• Making sure food delivery companies provide better workplace protection and financial security, both to prevent crime and to encourage couriers to report it if they become a victim.
• Ensuring the police take reports of courier crime more seriously by acting upon intelligence and providing a greater police presence in crime hotspot areas.