Police stopped crime victim reclaiming stolen bike, then let thieves cycle away

Police have apologised after stopping a crime victim from reclaiming his stolen bike - and then letting the crook pedal away scot-free. Simon Turner, of Cookham Rise, had his bicycle stolen from his shed at the beginning of August. He was walking through the town centre on Friday, August 26, when he spotted the bike chained up opposite McDonald's.

With his six-year-old son Giles, he set about trying to find a police officer and eventually located a PCSO who he took back to the bike. The 48-year-old said: "I gave details of a hidden technical modification, then she looked and there it was - it was clearly my bike. I said I'd go home and get some tools and remove it but they said we couldn't remove the bike. They said 'you'll be damaging the lock and it's not your property'."



The company director even offered the PCSO £5 for the 'cheap' lock but was told the owner could sue him for the damage. The PCSO, receiving advice from the police station, told Mr Turner to leave the bike there and the police would monitor who came to collect it using CCTV. "They rang me up on Tuesday to say it was removed and taken away by two males who could not be identified," he added. "And that's it - my bike's gone again. I'm absolutely appalled."

A police spokesman said: "The PCSO was acting on the advice of a colleague, and, although we've yet to establish exactly what happened, it does appear the incorrect advice was given to her and there were other steps that could have been taken at the time. We'd like to apologise for this mistake and reassure the gentleman concerned that we are doing all we can to track down the person or people who stole his bicycle."