More than 500 crimes referring to stealing and damaging ULEZ cameras have been dedicated within the final 5 months, the Metropolitan Police have revealed.

The pressure mentioned a complete of 510 crimes, together with 159 stories of cameras being stolen and 351 of cameras being broken, have been recorded between 1 April and 31 August this yr.

A criminal offense can embody multiple offence and the quantity has nearly doubled previously month as by 1 August, the Met had recorded 288 crimes.

The ULEZ was expanded to cowl the entire of Greater London on Tuesday, that means automobiles that don't meet the required emissions requirements now must pay £12.50 per day to drive within the capital metropolis.

Generally, this implies most petrol automobiles made earlier than January 2006 and diesel automobiles made earlier than September 2015 are actually liable to pay the price to drive in London.

The figures got here after Sky News revealed fraudsters are selling counterfeit certification with adverts posted on Facebook Marketplace, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp claiming to have the ability to make automobiles "ULEZ exempt".

Police launched an operation concentrating on a gaggle, who describe themselves as "blade runners", earlier this yr.

"The Met has and continues to treat criminal activity in relation to ULEZ seriously and has deployed considerable resources to our operation," the pressure mentioned in a press release.

"Where there are possible lines of enquiry, local investigators will follow up using a range of investigative approaches including CCTV trawls, witness searches and an assessment of forensic opportunities."

Two folks have been arrested to this point - one has been charged and bailed forward of trial whereas the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the opposite case.

The Met mentioned it's persevering with to "monitor anti-ULEZ protests, as we do for all potential public order matters," with some occasions attracting between 200 and 300 folks.