Police go to arrest man over stolen bike - and find more than 100
Police are urging recent bike theft victims in Bedfordshire to get in touch after seizing more than 100 at a single property.
Wednesday 15 July 2020 15:32, UK
Police in Bedfordshire have made a "significant" discovery after going to arrest a man in connection with a stolen bicycle - only to find more than 100 of them stashed away at his property.
A 41-year-old man from Bedford has since been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods, and he has been released pending an ongoing investigation.
In a Facebook post, Bedfordshire Police said it was first alerted to the misconduct on 2 July - after a victim of theft noticed their stolen bicycle was being advertised for sale on social media.
But when officers later attended the address of the listed seller, they found dozens more stolen bikes and ended up seizing more than 100 of them.
PC Jade Kilbey is now urging anyone who has been a recent victim of bike theft to get in touch as the "significant" discovery could lead to dozens of reunions with their rightful owners.
"We would urge anyone who has had their pedal cycle stolen within the Bedford area in recent weeks to get in contact with the make, model, colour and serial number of their bike, along with any other distinguishing features," she said.
"Please bear in mind our contact centre is extremely busy and must prioritise emergency calls, so please use our online reporting centre to provide details, using the crime reference 40/35795/20."