Prolific Peterborough crook jailed after stealing care worker's bike

Chris Pycroft, 38, was arrested on 14 January after police identified him on CCTV using a bank card which had been stolen from a delivery driver in Paston Ridings the previous day.

He was charged with fraud by false representation and remanded in prison where he had several court hearings, but was later bailed by the courts ahead of a trial after serving five weeks on remand.

Five days after his release, on 24 February, Pycroft smashed the driver’s window of a taxi which was parked up outside the owner’s home in Dogsthorpe.

Pycroft made off with a pair of Apple AirPods, but left blood at the scene after cutting his arm on the broken glass.

Samples of the blood were sent off for examination which came back as a full DNA match to Pycroft who was arrested by the Acquisitive Crime Team at his home in Crabtree, Paston, on Sunday afternoon (14 March).

He was also arrested in connection with handling stolen goods after the CCTV showing him using the stolen bank cards on 14 January also showed him riding a bike which was later reported as having been stolen.

The bike, which belonged to a care worker, had been locked to railings while the woman was checking in on one of her elderly patients in Werrington on 14 January.

DC George Corney, from the Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “When Pycroft was arrested on 14 January in connection with the stolen bank cards, a white Paloma bicycle was found at his home, however at that point the theft had not been reported to us.

“Less than a quarter into the year, Pycroft has already committed three offences which he will now serve time in prison for. We have teams who work with prolific offenders, alongside other agencies such as the probation service in order to rehabilitate them and try to steer them away from a life of crime, however, for as long as Pycroft continues to offend, we will continue to put him before the courts.”

Pycroft appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday (15 March) where he admitted theft of Apple AirPods from a vehicle, handling stolen goods and four counts of fraud by false representation. He was jailed for a total of 18 weeks.

Advice on how to best protect your vehicle from thieves can be found on the force website at https://bit.ly/3eLoz1x.