Man convicted after blowing up ULEZ camera

A man has been convicted of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property after deliberately blowing up a ULEZ camera in south-east London.

An investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing London identified Kevin Rees, aged 63, as the person who destroyed the camera on 6 December 2023. His motive was opposition to the ULEZ scheme.

Rees used a metal cylinder filled to explosive powder to cause an explosion which damaged cars and property up to 100m away, including a child’s bedroom.

The ULEZ camera which had been installed earlier that day, had already been cut down by another individual. This individual has also been convicted.

Rees drove from his home in Sidcup to Shuttle Close shortly after 6.20pm on 6 December 2023. Rees walked from his car to the camera, planted his home-made bomb and lit the fuse. A witness saw him walking away.

The damage was so severe, that it damaged a van opposite, blew out the tyre of a nearby  car, damaged a nearby wall, front porch, shed and Wendy house. Shrapnel was fired through a passing car into the bottom of a passenger seat and one piece of metal damaged the window frame of a child's bedroom 100 metres away.

Rees was arrested by CTP London officers on 18 December 2023 and his home address was searched.

Officers found a sealed postal package addressed to Rees containing aluminium powder, as well as a plastic bag with a quantity of iron oxide – both of which can be used to form low explosive compositions.

On social media, Rees had posted numerous times about ULEZ cameras and encouraged the damaging of them. 

A photograph was found on his phone, taken on 6 December 2023, of the camera being installed. This was deleted on 7 December.

Also on his phone were screenshots of Facebook posts on 6 December related to the explosion and a photograph taken after the explosion with emergency services on the scene. All of these were deleted on 8 December.

Officers also found three home-made stun guns at his address. As a result, Rees was also convicted of three counts of having a prohibited weapon.

He is due to be sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court at a later date.

Detective Superintendent James Derham, who leads local policing in the Bexley area, said: “It was miraculous that nobody was killed or seriously injured in the large explosion caused by Rees.

“He showed a complete disregard for the welfare and safety of the people who live in, or were travelling through, the area at the time of the explosion – all because he was unhappy with the ULEZ scheme.

“His conviction has been possible due to the commitment and professionalism of our CTP London Detectives, supported by our frontline policing colleagues in Bexley.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their support and understanding while we responded and investigated this incident, and I hope this sends a very strong message of the dangers and consequences of using home-made explosives.

“Damage of any kind is completely unacceptable, and this particular incident demonstrates the very serious consequences for those responsible when taken to this extreme.”

Photos and video of the attack can be viewed here.