Police manage to reunite three victims of theft with their bicycles
Two investigations by the Metropolitan Police Service's Safer Transport Command's Cycle Task Force have lead to the recovery of 10 bikes believed to have been stolen.
The bikes were discovered at different addresses across West London. Officers searched one property following the theft of a decoy bike which they recovered along with with a laptop and four other bikes, all believed to be stolen.
Two of the bikes, a £600 Trek and a £950 Brompton, were confirmed as stolen and have been returned to their rightful owners. An 18-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of burglary, theft and handling stolen goods and bailed to return in August.
On Thursday 14 July the Cycle Task Force carried out a search warrant at an address in Ealing, in connection with an investigation into a stolen Genesis bike being sold online. During the search, officers found five bikes, all believed to be stolen, including the Genesis bike. Enquiries to identify victims are ongoing. A 36-year old man was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods and bailed to return in September.
Cycle Task Force Sergeant Jim Morris, said: "Three bikes have been reunited with their rightful owners and a further six bikes, believed to be stolen, have been recovered following successful Cycle Task Force investigations.
"We are committed to tackling cycle theft across London and will continue to help cyclists, through both education and enforcement, by catching bike thieves, security marking bicycles and reuniting people with heir stolen bikes."
"We advise any cyclist to follow 'the three R's' - record the details of their bike, register them onto online property databases and report any theft to the police. These are simple steps that all cyclists should take so that if their bike is stolen they stand a good chance of being reunited with it."
"If you are a victim of bike theft and you suspect your bike is being sold, do not arrange to meet the seller, contact the police, quoting your crime reference number."
July 21, 2011