Warning over series of bike scams and robberies in Bradford's Holme Wood
Police are warning of a series of robberies and scams around buying bikes in the Holme Wood area of Bradford.
Sellers have been scammed by criminals posing as prospective buyers for E Bikes, quad bikes, and motorbikes, West Yorkshire Police (WYP) has said.
Victims have reported being tricked with banking apps that falsely show payments have been made and with fake passports.
Now police are urging residents to be vigilant.
Some sellers have been given items that hold no value, as collateral while offenders test drive the vehicle only to run away with it, a spokesperson said.
Some have also been threatened with violence and weapons.
Officers are investigating a number of offences, the spokesperson said, and believe victims have been targeted using platforms such as Facebook Marketplace.
"Victims are encouraged to report incidents immediately," they said, advising anyone affected to collect evidence such as screenshots of adverts or seller details.
Meetings should always be held in public, well-lit areas with CCTV coverage, they advised. Sellers can also avoid using cash, and consider secure payment methods.