Man admits riding stolen motorbike
A 20-year-old man is awaiting sentence after admitting taking a motorcycle without consent and riding it without insurance in Bristol.
The blue and black Yamaha MTO3 had been stolen from Cabot Circus on Saturday 29 July.
Officers found it in Chakeshill Drive, Southmead, on Wednesday 23 August and it has since been returned to its owner.
An investigation found evidence of the vehicle being ridden in Glencoyne Square, Southmead, earlier that Wednesday and enabled us to identify the rider.
Harvey Mitchell, of Hawkins Crescent, Bradley Stoke, appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 14 September, after being arrested and charged on Wednesday 13 September.
He is due for sentence at the same court on Thursday 26 October and was released on court bail until that hearing.
We’ve set up a specific operation to tackle a recent troubling rise in motorcycle theft and associated anti-social motorbike use.
We are targeting hotspots and offenders with a range of tactics including our drone unit and the National Police Air Service helicopter.
If you see someone acting suspiciously around motorbikes, or riding them in a way which poses a danger to others and themselves, please call 999 immediately. We’ll attend whenever we can, and such calls have already led to arrests and the recovery of stolen machines. If we can’t attend due to other incidents, we’ll use the information to help us target our patrols.
If you have information about those responsible for the thefts, any footage of offenders riding anti-socially, or know where motorcycles or parts are being stored or sold please call 101 or report through our website.
Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously by calling 0800 555 111, or using their anonymous online form.