POW! London Police dressed as Batman & Robin bust illegal gambling ring

In a real-life comic book twist, two London police officers dressed as Batman and Robin have successfully dismantled an illegal gambling ring operating on the iconic Westminster Bridge.

Faced with repeat offenders who had become adept at spotting uniformed officers, Inspector Darren Watson and Police Constable Abdi Osman turned to an unconventional—but ultimately effective—tactic: superhero cosplay.

“I knew that if we were going to catch them, we’d have to think outside the box,” said Inspector Watson. “Then I remembered I had Batman and Robin costumes in my closet. It might not be traditional policing, but it worked perfectly.”

The duo were part of an operation targeting scammers running rigged street games aimed at fleecing unsuspecting tourists. These games—often involving sleight-of-hand or deceptive shell games—are simple but lucrative, and operators are known to vanish the moment they recognize local law enforcement.

But the Caped Crusader and Boy Wonder fooled the scammers long enough to catch them red-handed.

According to the Metropolitan Police, the creative sting was necessary to outwit the seasoned scammers, many of whom had previously been caught and had learned to recognize officers on patrol.

“Street scammers flee when they spot uniformed officers, so our local policing team are deploying creative tactics to protect the public,” the Met posted on X (formerly Twitter), alongside a photo of the heroic duo in action.

Although the pair’s identities—and costumes—are now public knowledge, the successful operation has captured the public’s imagination and sparked a wave of praise for the force’s ingenuity.

With Batman and Robin out of the disguise rotation, London's finest may need to dip into the Justice League’s wardrobe for their next crime-fighting stunt.