Busted! UK Cops to Use Sci-Fi Backpacks on Bike Bandits

The ‎UK‏ ‎police ‎are ‎considering ‎the ‎use‏ ‎of ‎innovative‏ ‎Ghostbusters-style‏ ‎backpack ‎devices ‎to‏ ‎combat ‎crimes‏ ‎involving ‎electric ‎bikes ‎(ebikes)‏ ‎and‏ ‎electric ‎scooters‏ ‎(e-scooters).

📌Device ‎Functionality:‏ ‎The ‎device ‎uses ‎electromagnetic ‎rays‏ ‎to‏ ‎disable ‎the‏ ‎engines ‎of‏ ‎ebikes ‎and ‎e-scooters. ‎It ‎works‏ ‎by‏ ‎transmitting‏ ‎a ‎pulse‏ ‎that ‎tricks‏ ‎the ‎electric‏ ‎motor‏ ‎into ‎believing‏ ‎it ‎is ‎overheating, ‎causing ‎it‏ ‎to ‎shut‏ ‎down.‏ ‎A ‎clear ‎line‏ ‎of ‎sight‏ ‎is ‎required ‎for ‎the‏ ‎device‏ ‎to ‎operate‏ ‎effectively.

📌Development ‎and‏ ‎Collaboration: ‎The ‎Defence ‎Science ‎and‏ ‎Technology‏ ‎Lab, ‎under‏ ‎the ‎Ministry‏ ‎of ‎Defence, ‎is ‎collaborating ‎on‏ ‎the‏ ‎project.‏ ‎The ‎device‏ ‎is ‎still‏ ‎in ‎development‏ ‎and‏ ‎may ‎take‏ ‎several ‎months ‎or ‎longer ‎to‏ ‎become ‎available.

📌Potential‏ ‎Applications:‏ ‎While ‎primarily ‎designed‏ ‎for ‎ebikes‏ ‎and ‎e-scooters, ‎there ‎is‏ ‎potential‏ ‎for ‎the‏ ‎device ‎to‏ ‎be ‎used ‎on ‎conventional ‎combustion‏ ‎engine‏ ‎vehicles ‎as‏ ‎well.

📌Safety ‎and‏ ‎Efficacy: The ‎police ‎are ‎optimistic ‎that‏ ‎the‏ ‎device‏ ‎will ‎not‏ ‎pose ‎any‏ ‎harm ‎to‏ ‎humans‏ ‎or ‎other‏ ‎devices. ‎The ‎technology ‎was ‎showcased‏ ‎to ‎police‏ ‎leaders‏ ‎at ‎the ‎Farnborough‏ ‎technology ‎show.

📌Context‏ ‎and ‎Need: The ‎rise ‎in‏ ‎popularity‏ ‎of ‎ebikes‏ ‎and ‎e-scooters‏ ‎has ‎led ‎to ‎their ‎use‏ ‎in‏ ‎thousands ‎of‏ ‎crimes ‎due‏ ‎to ‎their ‎speed ‎and ‎agility.‏ ‎The‏ ‎nature‏ ‎of ‎police‏ ‎pursuits ‎has‏ ‎evolved, ‎with‏ ‎a‏ ‎shift ‎from‏ ‎chasing ‎cars ‎on ‎motorways ‎to‏ ‎dealing ‎with‏ ‎fast-moving‏ ‎electric ‎bikes ‎in‏ ‎urban ‎areas.

📌Existing‏ ‎Technology: Police ‎already ‎have ‎technology‏ ‎to‏ ‎halt ‎cars‏ ‎remotely ‎using‏ ‎radio ‎and ‎electromagnetic ‎waves, ‎but‏ ‎the‏ ‎new ‎device‏ ‎is ‎tailored‏ ‎to ‎the ‎specific ‎challenges ‎posed‏ ‎by‏ ‎electric‏ ‎bikes ‎and‏ ‎scooters.