Police officers in Mansfield have used a combination of speed and detective work to recover two stolen bikes within the space of a week.
The first bike was recovered by a quick-thinking patrol officer who was alerted to a theft in Mansfield Town Centre on Thursday, 31 October. He chased a suspect along West Gate before cornering him in a nearby alleyway and recovering the bike.
A 49-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of theft and criminal damage.
The second bike was taken from outside a gym on Nottingham Road at around 8.30pm on Monday. After reviewing CCTV footage from local cameras, an officer traced the bike to a nearby location and identified a potential suspect.
The bike has now been returned to its grateful owner, and investigations are ongoing.
Sergeant Catherine Darby, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“The combined value of these bikes was well over £2,000, and the owners were understandably relieved to get them back.
“Both officers in these cases did a great job – one displaying his speed and fitness, and the other her keen eye for detail.
“We understand that people’s bikes are important to them and will always do what we can to retrieve them when they are stolen in this way.”
Officers will hold a pre-emptive day of action targeting cycle theft on Saturday, 16 November. They will be outside Mansfield Library and at Sainsbury’s, marking bikes and adding them to the national BikeRegister, which helps to trace stolen items.
The marking is free and will run between 10am and 2pm.
More details about the BikeRegister scheme can be found here: The National Cycle Database | BikeRegister.
