'Brazen' thief caught within minutes after stealing bicycle from police training event

A thief got more than he bargained for when he stole a bike from an instructor who unbeknown to him was teaching police community support officers.

PCSOs Sam Sagar and Natalie Lovett were taking part in training, in civilian clothes, to become cycle safety instructors when they witnessed the 20-year-old man grab and then ride off on their instructor’s bike in Baildon, near Bradford.

The pair, along with other members of the course, wasted no time in pedalling after the culprit – who fell from the bike after braking too harshly and was promptly arrested for theft. Another team then took him back to the police station.

After admitting the theft, he was given an adult caution for what was a first-time offence.

PCSO Sagar said: “We had stopped and were stood facing the instructor’s bike as he was stood with his back to it, talking to us. As he was speaking we just saw this lad walk up to the bike, jump on it and cycle off. It really was one of those moments when you think, ‘did I just see that?’ as it was so brazen.

“I don’t think he realised we were that close behind him as when we got up to him he turned around, shouted, pedalled onto the wrong side of the road and then pulled his front brake, causing him to come off over the bars.

“We detained him, and frogmarched him back to the church until another unit came to take him off back to Airedale House.”

He added that the thief could do with some cycle safety lessons himself.

Mr Sagar, a retired inspector who rejoined the force as a PCSO, is a keen cyclist.

Sergeant Khalid Khan said: “We are very proud of the courage and professionalism shown by the two community support officers plus the other members of the group who all went after the thief.”