Specialist marine police officers swoop on stolen Thames Clippers river bus near Tower Bridge
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Man in his 20s ‘jumps wharf security gate and steals Thames Clipper river bus before leading marine police on dramatic chase along the River Thames’
- Marine support units intercept stolen Thames Clippers vessel near Tower Bridge
- River boat was stolen from Trinity Wharf in Polar, east London, on Saturday night
- Marine officers boarded the vessel and seized control, while driver was arrested
- A man, in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft, say police
Specialist marine police officers swooped on a stolen river bus and seized control during a dramatic chase on the River Thames, near to London’s Tower Bridge.
Marine support units intercepted the Thames Clippers vessel in the early hours of Saturday morning after police received reports of a man jumping a security gate and stealing a river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London.
Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop.
Marine officers instead decided to board the Thames Clippers vessel, which was said to be travelling ‘at speed’ prior to police intercepting it, and took control of it.
The vessel was then taken to Canary Wharf dock, where Metropolitan Police officers arrested a man in his 20s.
Marine support units intercepted the Thames Clippers vessel after Metropolitan Police received reports that a man had jumped a security gate and stolen the river bus from Trinity Buoy Wharf in Poplar, east London
Police say the marine support units, who had their blue lights illuminated, attempted to stop the vessel, which slowed but did not come to a stop. Pictured: Library image of a training exercise by the Metropolitan Police Marine Police Unit and Royal Marines
The man, who is thought may be a former employee of Thames Clipper, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft.
Police say he remains in custody at this time and that investigations continue.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police today told MailOnline: ‘On Saturday August 29, at 3:10am, marine support units were called to reports that a man jumped over a security gate and stolen a Thames Clipper boat from Trinity Buoy Wharf.
‘Marine support units intercepted the Clipper with the blue lights illuminated. The vessel slowed but did not come to a stop.
‘Marine officers boarded and took control of the vessel and it was taken to Canary Wharf dock.
‘They were joined by local units who arrested the man, aged in his 20s, on suspicion of burglary and theft.
Police are said to have intercepted the stolen river boat, reportedly near to Tower Bridge, on Saturday night
‘He remains in police custody and the investigation continues.’
Thames Clipper tonight told MailOnline that they were unable to comment due to the police investigation.
A spokesperson said: ‘As this matter is the subject of an ongoing police investigation we are unable to comment at this time.’
Thames Clippers is a river bus service on the River Thames in London. It runs commuter services between eastern and central London, as well as tourist services.
Around 10,000 passengers use the service each day.
In June this year, America company Uber won the naming rights to the service, which has since been re-branded ‘Uber Boat by Thames Clippers’.
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