Did you hear the one about Batman and Robin bursting into action in a busy London area to disrupt an ongoing gambling scam?
It isn’t a joke or an urban myth, as in recent days, London police had to get creative to stop the activity.
Two rogue traders plying their trade on Westminster Bridge have been convicted at Croydon Magistrates Court, amid an increase in lawless activity in the area.
Despite being in the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament, the area along the bridge and the South Bank has increasingly been blighted by scammers luring unsuspecting tourists and passers-by into gambling activity, known as the three cups challenge or shell game.
Those involved are aware of police surveillance and officers keeping tabs on them, leading to the superhero ‘intervention’.
POW! Officers disguised as Batman & Robin catch scammers red-handed on Westminster Bridge 🦸♂️
Street scammers flee when they spot uniformed officers, so our local policing team are deploying creative tactics to protect the public.
#CrimeFightingHeroes pic.twitter.com/k5bZ6dJhfr— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) April 11, 2025
Protecting tourists and Londoners from getting scammed
A Metropolitan Police statement detailed how Inspector Darren Watson and Police Constable Abdi Osman donned Batman and Robin costumes to launch the mission on Saturday, 15 February.
Inspector Watson said that the culprits were recognizing his team from their regular patrols.
He continued, “I knew that if we were going to catch them, we would have the think outside the box, and then I remembered that I had Batman and Robin costumes to hand, which could come in use.
“Although dressing up may not be the most conventional policing method, we were thrilled to see that in this case it worked perfectly and the team were able to get some great results, taking these people off the street and protecting tourists and Londoners from being fleeced,” he added.
Eugen Stocia, 32, and Constica-Gherorghe Barbu, 53, were arrested for providing the (illicit) facilities to gamble.
On February 17, Barbu was convicted at Croydon Magistrates’ Court after being held by police and fined £925 ($1225). However, Stocia fled the UK after he was bailed at the same court hearing.
He was convicted in absence at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 10, with a warrant issued for his arrest so he can be sentenced.
Image credit: Grok/X
