Cycle theft gang who stole bikes worth £70,000 jailed

Police arrived within six minutes of receiving a 999 call to a burglary in progress at Rutland Cycles at Grafham Water near Huntingdon at 2.50am on 2 August to find a white van making off from the scene.

Officers pursued the Volkswagen Crafter and witnessed the occupants abandon the vehicle and make off on foot. They were soon arrested along with the occupants of a black Skoda Yeti which had crashed not far from the shop.

Inside the van they found the 23 stolen bikes (including hybrid bikes) as well as wrenches and an angle grinder which had been used to cut the shop’s roller shutters.

The seven men from Birmingham, were sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court, after previously pleading guilty to conspiring to commit a burglary with intent to steal.

Ryan Griffin, 29, of Mill View, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Jamelle Payne, 33, of Green Lane, Handsworth, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Nazim Latif, 23, of Kinver Croft, was sentenced to three years.

Nathan Holmes, 25, of Tessall Farm Croft, was sentenced to three years.

Shane Thornton, 29, of Church Road, was sentenced to three years.

Arron Robinson, 30, of Folliott Road, was sentenced to three years.

Adam Leek, 38, of Brean Avenue, was sentenced to three years.

Detective Constable Steve Surtees said: “These men were not just opportunist thieves, they had planned this burglary, travelling from Birmingham the previous day to scope out the shop before returning with tools to break in and attempting to disguise their identity with dark clothing and masks.

“Thanks to the quick actions of the officers on the day, the bikes were recovered and not able to be sold on and these seven men are now behind bars.” led after stealing cycles worth more than £70,000 from a shop in Grafham Water.