Story highlights Acid attacks are on the rise in London, according to a report released by the police

Police said at least four of the five attacks involved two males on a moped

London (CNN) Five men were attacked with acid in London, with one man suffering life-changing facial injuries in what police on Friday were treating as linked assaults.

The five attacks on Thursday night, which were reported to police over a 70-minute period, are the latest in a spike of incidents using corrosive liquids as weapons in robberies and gang-related violence in the British capital.

Police said at least four of the five attacks involved two males on a moped, and in at least two cases the attackers stole mopeds belonging to their victims. Another incident involved a robbery.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery, and is currently in custody at an east London police station. A 15-year-old boy was later taken into custody on the same allegations, according to police, who appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Four of the attacks happened in the eastern borough of Hackney, and one other in Islington, in the city's north. All five victims were taken to hospital.

Emergency services attend the scene at Hackney Road.

Read More </s> Teenager arrested after five acid attacks in London

Police presence in London is very much obvious these days after a recent spate of attacks in public areas. — Reuters picLONDON, July 14 — British police said today they arrested a teenager after five acid attacks in east London left several people with facial injuries including one with “life-changing” effects.

One of the victims had been on a moped when two assailants pulled up alongside him in another moped and threw a corrosive substance in his face, the Metropolitan police said. One of the pair then stole the vehicle.

Police were called to the first acid attack at 2125 GMT yesterday, followed by four other incidents within the following hour and a half all in the east London area, which police said they were treating as linked.

Officers said they were continuing to investigate but had arrested a young man.

“A male, in his teens has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery. He is currently in custody at an east London police station.” — Reuters </s> LONDON — Five men were attacked with acid in London on Thursday night with one man suffering life-changing facial injuries in what police are treating as linked assaults.

The five attacks, which were reported to police over a 70-minute period, are the latest in a spike of incidents using corrosive liquids as weapons in robberies and gang-related violence in the British capital.

Police said at least four of the five attacks involved two males on a moped, and in at least two cases the attackers stole mopeds belonging to their victims. Another incident involved a robbery.

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery, and is currently in custody at an east London police station. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Four of the attacks happened in London’s eastern borough of Hackney, and one other in Islington in the city’s north. All five victims were taken to hospital.

According to a report released by the Metropolitan Police Service in March, acid attacks are on the rise in London. In 2014, there were 166 filed incidents, rising to 261 in 2015, and 454 in 2016. Police have told CNN that trend has continued this year.

Acid attacks in London are largely concentrated in the city’s east. London’s police chief Cressida Dick explained that it was not happening across all boroughs.

“But we are concerned because the numbers appear to be going up. We will arrest people. We will enforce the law as we can. We are working very closely with the Home Office to try to see whether there’s any changes in the law required,” she told LBC Radio.

Sarah Newton, an official from the Home Office, told the BBC that tighter restrictions on acids and tougher penalties for their misuse were being discussed.

“I and my colleagues in the Home Office have been increasingly concerned about the escalation of instances — especially in London. So, we’ve been working with the Metropolitan Police and community policing some months now,” she said.

Parliament is due to debate the issue on Monday next week at the request of MP Stephen Timms from the main opposition Labour Party.

“Too many people are frightened of becoming a victim. Ministers need to act,” said Timms in a statement before Thursday assaults.

Corrosive acids are still quite easy to purchase from local, everyday stores around the UK.

Acid was in the past more commonly used in personal disputes, often perpetrated by men against their female partners. Several other recent acid attacks in London have appeared to be racially motivated.

Following an attack in June on 21-year-old aspiring model Resham Khan and her cousin Jameel Muhktar, a petition on Change.org demanding that the UK Parliament require individuals purchasing acid to hold a special license now has almost 370,000 signatures. </s> British police arrested a teenager on Friday after five acid attacks in less than 90 minutes across east London left several people with facial burns, including one with horrific injuries.

Two assailants on a moped pulled up alongside a 32-year-old man in the Hackney area of east London late on Thursday (local time) and threw acid in his face before one of the pair made off with the victim's moped.

In the next hour and a half, three other men across Hackney and one in the neighbouring borough of Islington had corrosive substances hurled at them, police said.

After one of the robberies in Hackney, a man was left with facial injuries described by police as "life-changing".

"A male in his teens has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery," the London police service said.

"He is currently in custody at an east London police station."

The number of reported attacks with corrosive liquids rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016, according to police, with some appearing to be related to gang activity or the theft of cars and motorbikes.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said that while still relatively rare, officers were concerned by the increase in attacks.

"The acid can cause horrendous injuries. The ones last night involved a series of robberies we believe are linked."

The assaults come after a spate of high-profile attacks, including one in April in which acid was sprayed at a crowded east London club night, leaving two revellers partially blinded and others disfigured.

Two Australians were among 12 injured in that attack, and a man has been charged and is awaiting trial.

The spike in attacks has prompted some lawmakers to call for restrictions on the sale and carrying of corrosive liquids such as sulfuric acid. </s> Five linked acid attacks in quick succession by men on mopeds in London left several people injured, British police said Friday - the latest in a spate of such crimes that have alarmed residents and politicians. (July 14) AP </s> (LONDON) — Five linked acid attacks in quick succession by men on mopeds in London left several people injured, British police said Friday — the latest in a spate of such crimes that have alarmed residents and politicians.

The Metropolitan Police force said the 90-minute attack began late Thursday. Two men on a moped tossed a noxious substance into the face of a 32-year-old moped driver, then jumped on his vehicle and drove away.

The pattern was repeated across a swath of east London. At least one victim, a man in his 20s, was left with life-changing injuries, police said.

A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of robbery and grievous bodily harm, and police appealed to the public for more information.

The assaults come after a spate of high-profile attacks, including one in which a man is accused of throwing acid at an aspiring model and her cousin as they sat in their car. A 25-year-old man has been charged in that case.

London police say the number of reported attacks with corrosive liquids rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016. Some appear related to gang activity or the theft of cars and motorbikes.

In April, acid was sprayed at a crowded east London club night, leaving two revelers partially blinded and others disfigured. A man has been charged and is awaiting trial.

The spike in attacks has prompted some lawmakers to call for restrictions on the sale and carrying of corrosive liquids such as sulfuric acid.

London's police chief, Cressida Dick, said officers were concerned by the increase in the "completely barbaric" attacks.

"We will arrest people, we will enforce the law as we can, and we are working very closely with the (government) to try to see if there is any changes in the law required," she told LBC radio. </s> LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - British police arrested a teenager on Friday after five acid attacks in less than 90 minutes across east London left several people with facial burns, including one with horrific injuries.

Two assailants on a moped pulled up alongside a 32-year-old man in the Hackney area of east London at 2125 GMT on Thursday and threw acid in his face before one of the pair made off with the victim's moped.

In the next hour and a half, three other men across Hackney and one in the neighbouring borough of Islington had corrosive substances hurled at them, police said.

After one of the robberies in Hackney, a man was left with facial injuries described by police as life-changing.

"A male in his teens has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery," the London police service said. "He is currently in custody at an east London police station."

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said that while still relatively rare, the number of acid attacks appeared to have risen in the capital.

"I don't want people to think that this is happening all over London all of the time - it's really not, but we are concerned because the numbers appear to be going up," Dick told the LBC radio station in an interview.

"Acid attacks are completely barbaric," Dick said. "The acid can cause horrendous injuries. The ones last night involved a series of robberies we believe are linked." (Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Gareth Jones) </s> LONDON — The British police are investigating a series of attacks on Saturday by a group of men in East London who apparently sprayed acid on a group of people, injuring six. It was the latest in a series of similar episodes that the police have linked to gang activities in the area.

The police were called to the scene of the attacks at around 8 p.m. Saturday, and they arrested one man on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, Scotland Yard said. The police are not treating Saturday’s episode as a terrorism-related attack.

Witnesses told the BBC that a fight had broken out between two groups at a shopping mall, and that afterward victims ran to nearby bathrooms to wash a caustic substance off their eyes and face.

East London has been the scene of other such attacks. In August, a man suffered serious injuries and scarring when two men threw acid in his face, reportedly because he refused to buy drugs from them. In July, two teenagers were arrested after carrying out five acid attacks in a little over an hour, in some cases blinding victims astride mopeds and stealing the vehicle. In April, an attack at a nightclub left a dozen people with severe burns to their faces and arms.

The Metropolitan Police reported 455 incidents in 2016 in which a corrosive substance was used, a sharp increase from 265 in 2015 and 174 in 2014. Officials have called for tougher sentences, and restrictions on the sale of sulfuric acid.

Video recorded near the scene on Saturday showed police officers and paramedics gathered around a prone victim, with screens erected to shield them from bystanders. </s> 5 Injured In Series Of Acid Attacks In London

Updated at 11 a.m. ET

Assailants riding a moped carried out a series of acid attacks in London overnight leaving several people with facial burns, including one victim with what police described as "life changing" injuries. Authorities announced two arrests in the case.

Metropolitan Police said there were five separate attacks late Thursday across a large section of east London lasting about 90 minutes. The assailants are also suspects in the theft of at least one motorbike, linked to one of the attacks.

"Two assailants on a moped pulled up alongside a 32-year-old man in the Hackney area of east London [9:24 p.m. local time] on Thursday and threw acid in his face before one of the pair made off with the victim's moped. "In the next hour and a half, three other men across Hackney and one in the [neighboring] borough of Islington had corrosive substances hurled at them, police said."

Police said two boys, aged 15 and 16, were arrested in connection with the attacks and charged with robbery and grievous bodily harm. The Associated Press reports that: "One was arrested near the scene of the attack and the other at an address in east London on Friday."

The BBC quotes Hackney resident Jon Moody as saying that he was watching television and then suddenly heard screaming outside.

"I heard a high-pitched scream but thought it was the boys playing football... I heard more shouting and ran to my window," Moody said, according to BBC. "I could see a man in serious distress, he was screaming in pain."

The Evening Standard newspaper reports that nearly 1,500 acid attacks were reported in London in the past six years.

Metropolitan Police Chief Cressida Dick, speaking in a radio interview, condemned the attacks as "barbaric" and described the injuries that result from them as "horrendous."

"It's a new trend in this country," she told LBC. "I don't want people to think that this is happening all over London all of the time - it's really not, but we are concerned because the numbers appear to be going up."
Five men in London are attacked with acid in five linked attacks. Two teenaged suspects are taken into custody.