Friday, 8 April, 2011

Four bike thieves who targeted the city’s university campuses have been caught thanks to the continued success of a police secret weapon.

Officers caught up with a 39 year old man, of Ashley Road Leeds, after a police ‘capture bike’ that was taken from Leeds Metropolitan University on the evening of Tuesday, April 5th, and found at his premises. A second bike, which had been reported stolen from Leeds General Infirmary on 28th March, was also recovered on the premises. He was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and received an adult caution.

On the 6th April, a 37 year old man from Ashton Terrace, Harehills, was also arrested on suspicion of handling the two stolen bikes. He was charged and has been detained to appear at court later this month.

Officers also caught up with a 26 year old man from Beckhill Fold, Meanwood, Leeds after a second capture bike was stolen on 6th April at 8.45pm from the grounds of Leeds University. He was arrested and consequently charged with the theft and remanded in custody.

Officers located the bike, worth £700, was traced to the garage of a property on Osmondthorpe Lane, East End Park. Also located inside the garage was a cannabis farm, which consisted of approximately 50 mature cannabis plants, with and estimated street value of £10,000. A 52 year old man was arrested on suspicion of handling the stolen bike and cultivating cannabis. He remains in police custody.

The capture bikes are regularly deployed at bicycle theft hot-spots across the North West Leeds Division, primarily the universities’ campuses.

The initiative, which has been funded by the University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University, sees security teams working closely with the police using their own CCTV systems to help officers identify the thieves who target the bikes.

The ongoing use of captures houses and capture cars across north-west Leeds is part-funded by Leeds City Council’s local area committees.