Teenager arrested after five acid attacks in London in 90 minutes
Written by News on 14/07/2017
A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery after a pair on a moped carried out five acid attacks in London.
Metropolitan Police said they were treating the separate attacks within 90 minutes on Thursday night as linked.
The assaults involved victims having their mopeds stolen by two men on a moped, police added.
They are appealing for witnesses and anyone who has video of the incidents to contact them.
At the start of the rampage, a 32-year-old moped driver had been approached by the pair as he drove towards the Hackney Road junction with Queensbridge Road.
The two male suspects had tossed the noxious substance into his face before one of them jumped on to his vehicle and drove away.
Police said the man had gone to an east London hospital and they were awaiting an update on his injuries.
Twenty minutes later, at 10.50pm, another victim had been sprayed with searing liquid by the pair on the Upper Street junction with Highbury Corner, Islington.
The victim was taken to a hospital in north London.
At 11.05pm, the attackers swooped on a man in Shoreditch High Street, hurling acid in his face.
His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
Within 15 minutes, they appeared to have struck again, throwing the corrosive liquid at a man on Cazenove Road and causing "life-changing" facial injuries.
The final assault of the night was reported to police at 11.37pm, when another man was confronted as he sat on his moped in traffic on Chatsworth Road.
After again spraying the liquid in a victim’s face, the moped was stolen and both attackers fled.
The Met said the teenage suspect remains in custody at an east London police station.
The force said in a statement: "Inquiries are ongoing and officers from Hackney CID are investigating.
"Any witnesses, anyone with information or in possession of footage of these incidents should contact police on 101 or tweet @MetCC. To remain anonymous you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
More to follow…
(c) Sky News 2017: Teenager arrested after five acid attacks in London in 90 minutes
