Dramatic footage of police officers pursuing suspected e-bike phones thieves has been released as the Met announced nearly 200 people have been arrested in major operation targeting the gangs terrorising London.Officers' bodycams captured the increasingly chaotic scenes faced by Metropolitan Police during their crackdown on phone thefts in the capital.The Met hunted gangs who use high-powered e-bikes and mopeds to snatch phones and valuables from unsuspecting pedestrians before speeding away.As a result, 187 thieves were arrested and 157 e-bikes, mopeds and other vehicles were seized.The operation, which ran from February to July, focused on the thefts prolific in Westminster and other central London hotspots, with plain-clothed and uniformed officers carrying out patrols and stopping people known to police or linked to previous incidents.Specialist officers were also on hand to respond immediately when a theft was reported, using tracking data from stolen phones to follow suspects.Expertly trained police riders could then pursue the alleged thieves through busy and pedestrianised areas – giving officers a chance to catch suspects who might otherwise escape on two wheels.Extraordinary clips show police racing along pavements, through parks and down narrow alleys as they chase down offenders – with one video showing a member of the public kicking an alleged thief from his e-bike before another rushes to help officers detain him. The footage captures the increasingly chaotic scenes faced by police hunting gangs who use high-powered e-bikes and mopeds to snatch phones and valuables from unsuspecting victims The Met has revealed that a major crackdown on the criminals has resulted in 187 arrests and the seizure of 157 vehicles The operation, which ran from February to July, targeted prolific thieves in Westminster and other London hotspots where e-bike and moped-enabled crime was prevalentThe Met said e-bike-related crime fell by 22 per cent during the operation in areas including Lambeth and Southwark, as well as major tourist and transport hubs such as Waterloo and London Bridge.The operation also targeted those carrying weapons and involved in drug offences, with officers making arrests for a range of crimes including robbery and theft.Among those caught was a 17-year-old boy who was spotted riding a moped allegedly linked to a phone theft earlier that morning.Officers attempted to stop him, triggering a short pursuit before he was intercepted. When he was later searched a knife was allegedly uncovered. He was subsequently charged with driving offences and possession of an offensive weapon and bailed to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on October 1.In another case, officers spotted a 22-year-old man wanted over robbery offences riding an illegal e-bike.When police approached, he allegedly accelerated towards them and struck an officer with his bike.He was detained by another officer and arrested on suspicion of robbery and assaulting an emergency worker.Police said they found several stolen mobile phones wrapped in tin foil during a search, allegedly in an attempt to interfere with their tracking signals.The man was charged and remanded in custody to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court. National Police Air Service support officers during chase. The Met has also stepped up its efforts to seize illegal and modified e-bikes being used on London's roads, with more than 2,500 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters seized so far this year In one extraordinary incident, a member of the public can be seen kicking an alleged thief from his e-bike before another civilian rushes to help officers detain him