A rider’s unusual choice of footwear played a part in three suspects being arrested for motorbike thefts.
This came after a Suzuki SV was spotted in Rhodesia, Worksop, with officers noticing it was being ridden by someone wearing Crocs.
This aroused the suspicions of the Roads Policing Unit officers, who were informed soon afterwards that the bike in question had been reported stolen.
Having initially lost sight of the Suzuki and its rider, officers spotted them again nearby – at around 6.35 pm on Sunday (12 July) – along with another stolen Honda FES motorcycle.
These thefts reportedly both took place at separate addresses in Worksop and Leeds.
Having again lost sight of the bikes, the Roads Policing Unit received information that both had been seen riding in convoy behind a blue Ford Fiesta.
The policing team managed to track down and pull over a car matching this description shortly afterwards on Blyth Road, Worksop.
Multiple people were inside the car, with one passenger wearing a pair of Crocs that resembled those seen earlier, while a motorcycle helmet was also found on board.
A 33-year-old man, a 49-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old boy were all duly arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, handling stolen goods, and conspiracy to steal a motor vehicle.
The man and the juvenile were additionally arrested on suspicion of driving without a licence or insurance.
Detective Inspector Jamie Moore, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“These three arrests came about thanks to the fantastic awareness of, and communication between, our Roads Policing Unit officers.
“When the sighting of a motorcyclist wearing inappropriate footwear heightened their suspicions, officers investigated further and realised the two bikes they’d seen had been reported stolen.
“Despite losing sight of the bikes on more than one occasion, the team kept going and managed to locate a car they believed to be linked to the motorbikes and which contained three suspects.
“As I say, this was a great piece of police work that emphasised the importance of the patrols our teams conduct.”
