Man who damaged police car directly outside police station sentenced

A man who ate a takeaway meal off the bonnet of a police car before kicking the wing mirror off the vehicle has been sentenced.

Adam Bachir-Belmehdi, 21, of McGrath Road, Stratford, was charged with causing criminal damage after the incident directly outside Bishopsgate Police Station in the early hours of 3 May 2026.

Bachir-Belmehdi was captured on CCTV, fed into the City of London Police control room, and officers were on the scene within seconds from him beginning to carry out the damage.

Police Constable Oliver Gage, who attended the incident, said:

“Bachir-Belmehdi’s actions were completely unnecessary and it’s incredibly childish behaviour. As a result of his actions, officers were without one of our vehicles for a number of days.

“We do not tolerate this sort of behaviour in the City of London and we want to make it clear that anyone who behaves in this manner will face justice.

“The City’s CCTV network remains one of the most advanced policing assets in the country, allowing officers and control room staff to track suspects in real time, direct resources immediately and protect businesses, workers and the public.”

CCTV shows Bachir-Belmehdi initially approaching the marked police car, parked in a bay outside Bishopsgate Police Station, and laying across the bonnet and windscreen while his friend took photos of him.

He then proceeds to put his takeaway meal on the bonnet of the car to start eating his late-night meal, before moving on to kick the side of the vehicle and wing mirror twice. After kicking the vehicle, he then carries on causing damage by ripping the wing mirror from the car.

Officers were alerted while Bachir-Belmehdi was carrying out his spree of damage and ran to the scene within seconds. Bachir-Belmehdi then ran from officers for a short while before he was arrested for criminal damage.

The damage caused to the police car meant that the City of London Police had a marked vehicle off the road for five days, which as a result, could have had a detrimental impact on responding to emergency 999 calls.

Bachir-Belmehdi was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling £957 at Westminster Magistrates Court on 18 May 2026.

The City of London Police launched its Safer City Streets initiative on 19 May.

As part of the initiative, the force unveiled a network of newly branded police boxes across the Square Mile, each featuring police officers who patrol the square mile on foot and bike; modernising the former “ring of steel” for 2026 and creating a highly visible policing presence at strategic locations across the City.

The iconic sentry boxes reinforce the Commissioner’s “Going the extra mile” three-year policing plan commitment, acting as a visible reminder of the City of London Police’s neighbourhood presence and rapid response capability.