Cops hunt violent thieves: Greater Manchester Police on the hunt for masked attackers

Detectives are appealing for information following a spate of attempted motorcycle robberies and thefts in the Stockport area, that the force are treating as linked crimes.

• Related: Get cheap bike insurance at MCN Compare

The incidents began on Thursday, August 10 on Cherry Tree Lane in Great Moor when a group of four males in balaclavas assaulted a man and attempted to steal his motorbike.

Another man was assaulted with a hammer outside an address on Welland Street in North Reddish on August 13, with the offenders again attempting to steal his bike before fleeing empty handed. Two days later yet another report was made to police that a group of males had attempted to take a scooter.

The same day another man reported that his bike had been stolen from Wellington Road South in Stockport, followed up by another reported incident where a group of men in balaclavas threatened to harm their victim if he didn’t give up his motorcycle.

“I understand the concerns incidents of this nature may cause, particularly when the offenders are using threats of violence, but I want to reassure the community that we are thoroughly investigating these robberies and are treating them as linked at this time,” Detective Constable Keary told MCN.

“We will be carrying out further enquiries as we continue to investigate the robberies and would ask anyone who knows anything about the robberies – or who has been a victim of a similar crime – to get in touch with police as soon as possible.”

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Just what the doctor ordered: DocBike charity help launch cut-price bike security scheme

First published 31 August 2023 by MCN

Stolen bikes being ridden illegally can be the root cause behind serious accidents –and now bike safety charity DocBike has teamed up with Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, to offer local riders big discounts on quality locks.

A grant from the commissioner means residents can qualify for a 75% saving on an Oxford Sold Secure Gold Standard alarmed disc lock (limited to one per household).

PCC Sidwick said: “This initiative comes as a direct result of Dorset residents telling me their concerns and I hope that it makes it clear that I am both listening and ensuring that proactive action is taken to address those concerns.

“Education and prevention are key components when it comes to tackling any crime. Through this new initiative, I hope to raise awareness of the issue of motorbike theft and help owners in the county take practical and proactive steps to protect their bikes.”

There is a choice of two locks under the scheme. The Oxford Big Boss Alarm Disc Lock – 16mm and Oxford Alpha XA14 Alarm Disc Lock are both available for £25, and non-Dorset residents can still obtain a lock for a special reduced price by using the DocBike online shop (docbike.org).

Dr Ian Mew, co-founder and trustee of the DocBike charity added: “This is a really valuable initiative for motorcyclists in Dorset. Putting high-quality locks into the hands of motorcyclists and scooter riders not only helps to prevent thefts but also helps to reduce the chaos and loss of life that is associated with stolen motorcycles.”

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Durham Police deliver crushing blow to motorcycle crime

First published 22 August 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

More illegal motorcycles have been taken off the street as officers from the Durham Roads and Armed Policing team crushed several bikes which had been seized after being used in crime and antisocial activities across the force area.

The bikes are the latest to be confiscated as part of Operation Endurance, which was launched in 2017 to tackle nuisance caused by illegal use of bikes, quads, 4×4 vehicles and e-scooters.

The crushing of the unroadworthy machines was overseen by Deputy Chief Constable Ciaron Irvine and the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen.

DCC Irvine said: “We are doing everything we can to make the roads as safe as possible and for those who are using bikes criminally and antisocially, we need you to understand that through Operation Endurance, we will hunt you down relentlessly and ensure those bikes are seized and you face the consequences.”

Ms Allen added: “This off-road bike crushing exercise is to show those who cause harm in communities linked to
off-road bikes, scooters and quads, that the police have a zero tolerance to antisocial behaviour of this kind.

“Not only is it dangerous for the rider, as often they don’t wear helmets and for other road users and pedestrians, it also causes noise nuisance and damage to property and is a blight on our communities.

She added: “As a neighbour I would urge anyone to report anonymously to Crimestoppers (0800 555 111) if you are aware of people who have these vehicles so that we can seize and destroy them.”

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Thieves target commuter bikes: New data shows small bikes are the most common victims

First published 09 August 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

While high-end Italian superbikes may turn heads, it’s the 125cc commuter segment that thieves are keeping their beady eyes on, according to crime data supplied by the DVLA.

Revealed after a freedom of information request by Anglo Scottish Finance, the figures show 18,361 motorcycles were reported as stolen in the UK between June 2022 and May 2023 and remarkably the entire top-ten list consists of just two brands, Honda and Yamaha, with every model 125cc or less.

Topping the list is the Yamaha NMAX 125 ABS with 512 stolen in that time. Yamaha only appear in the top-ten again once at the number four spot with 306 Yamaha YBR125s nabbed by thieves.

Honda make up the rest of the list with four derivatives of the Honda PCX125 scooter making the top 10 and equating to 1173 thefts collectively. Two variants of their Vision 110cc model also feature. This is unsurprising given the fact that both are popular with last-mile delivery services and commuters, with the four-stroke PCX consistently one of the best-selling bikes in Britain.

The DVLA data also included the top-ten hotspots for bike theft in the UK with Cambridge earning the dubious honour of topping the list with 99 bikes stolen per 100,000 head of population, or 157 thefts during the 12-month period.

In terms of numbers London was by far the most productive for thieves with 2975 bikes stolen which equates to 33 bikes taken per 100,000 of population. Southampton, Bristol, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds, Hull, Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent also made the list of theft shame.

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Theft-busting cops don’t stop: Tireless sleuthing sees stolen bikes home after global hunt

First published 26 July 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Two Durham Police vehicle examiners have been singled out for going above and beyond the call of duty in tackling bike crime by returning stolen motorcycles to their owners.

Barry Moore and Graham Phillippo embraced their inner Columbo to track down the rightful owners of two motorcycles involved in separate incidents.

Moore examined a Yamaha Ténéré 700 adventure bike that had been seized after being involved in a collision in Darlington.

Checks showed no trace of the bike in this country, so he widened the search via Interpol who confirmed it had been stolen from Germany in June. It will now be returned to its rightful owner.

Meanwhile Phillippo’s enquiries took him first to America and then Yorkshire in search of the owner of a Husqvarna 701 Supermoto that had only three remaining digits of a tampered VIN number to work with.

UK and Interpol searches came back negative, but a wider search revealed the bike had been sold in New Jersey, USA, back in January. Phillippo contacted the dealership who confirmed the bike had not been stolen and was still in the USA.

Further analysis found the original VIN number had been ground out and a replacement VIN restamped into the frame.

From this, it was revealed the bike was, in fact, a Husqvarna 701 Enduro and reported stolen in West Yorkshire in June 2020. The bike has now been returned to the owner.

The pair have been nominated for the Outstanding Contribution to Road Safety and Front Line Hero of the Year – Roads Policing awards in this year’s UK Road Offender Education Awards.