LibDem chief Ed Davey claims the Met Police fails to unravel 9/10 bike theft instances – however one man did all of it by himself.
Giuseppe Tomasi, from Brent in north west London, did all the things he may to be sure that if his bike was ever taken, it might be returned to him by way of the fitting routes.
However catastrophe struck within the early hours of September 22 when a thief managed to interrupt into Giuseppe’s block and the bike shed to take his choosing.
He informed Metro: ‘I locked my bike in my safe block’s bike shed and registered the body quantity on a police database. But it surely nonetheless wasn’t sufficient to cease it from being stolen and correctly recovered.’
Right now, Mr Davey says bike thefts within the capital have turn out to be ‘decriminalised’ and has referred to as for a devoted unit to discourage thieves.
‘It took them simply hours to shut my case’
Giuseppe’s case is widespread.Neighbours noticed the thief slicing by way of the locks and shouted at him to cease.
However the suspect shrugged it off and continued with taking the bike, which is value round £220.
‘These folks know nothing could be performed to cease them,’ Giuseppe stated.
The dad reported the theft to police however claims the case was closed in just some hours.
He stated: ‘They both don’t have the sources or they don’t have the drive, however I did all the things proper, despatched all of the proof and even had a witness.’
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Leaving Giuseppe nowhere to show, he arrange alerts throughout second-hand web sites to attempt to discover his bike.
Positive sufficient, every week later, it got here up on Fb Market.
He stated: ‘I knew right away it was mine. You couldn’t see the body quantity within the picture however the indicators have been there.’
Markings the place his lights and youngster seat was once have been seen, in addition to a distinct entrance wheel after the outdated one was left behind within the housebreaking.
Regardless of Giuseppe’s thrill at with the ability to discover it, police stated he wanted to attend 5 days for them to retrieve it.
‘However it will have been bought by then,’ he stated. ‘So I informed them I used to be going to get it myself, and whereas they stated they couldn’t encourage it, they didn’t cease me.’
‘I used to be terrified confronting the thief’
Giuseppe organized to fulfill the ‘vendor’ and spent the remainder of the day wrecked with nerves.
‘I used to be assuming he can be some hardened, butch felony with scars on his face,’ he stated.
However as a substitute, it was boy half his age and half his measurement.
Regardless of displaying the vendor, who couldn’t have been older than 21, proof it was his bike, Giuseppe was informed he wanted to pay £180.
He stated: ‘He was performing just like the sufferer, pretending he was a retailer who was bought dangerous produce and attempting to interrupt even.’
London's worst boroughs for bike theft
Information from the Metropolitan police has revealed the highest 10 worst areas in London for bike theft per 1,000 folks.
They’re:
- Hackney – 4.8
- Camden – 3.9
- Westminster – 3.9
- Islington – 3.9
- Tower Hamlets – 3.7
- Southwark – 3.5
- Hammersmith and Fulham – 3.5
- Lambeth – 2.6
- Kensington and Chelsea – 2.4
- Richmond – 2.3
Two thieves who tried to steal a motorbike locked up reverse a police station in broad daylight have pleaded responsible to theft.On 20 October 2025, round 1:30pm, the pair have been noticed on CCTV attempting to interrupt a lock on a motorbike on Bishopsgate.Learn extra right here: https://t.co/vrHYCmfD4m pic.twitter.com/1zoeJNVTLu
— Metropolis of London Police (@CityPolice) October 24, 2025
The vendor stated he purchased the bike for £80 and wanted to make that cash again, and ultimately Giuseppe paid £70 to have his bike handed again.
‘It nonetheless stings once I take into consideration how I needed to pay,’ Giuseppe stated. ‘However no less than I acquired it again, and I’m completely satisfied to advise folks on how they’ll do the identical.’
Metro has contacted the Metropolitan Police for remark.
Operation Bike Bait
Mr Davey has referred to as for ‘Operation Bike Bait’ – a devoted police unit to deal with bike thefts.
Final 12 months simply 142 folks suspected of stealing bikes have been charged or summonsed by police.
That is regardless of 15,557 instances being reported.
What would Operation Bike Bait seem like? The Lib Dems hope the Nationwide Crime Company may set the unit up and work with native police forces.
This might embody planting bikes fitted with trackers to catch offenders, and hopefully uncover wider felony networks.
Mr Davey stated: ‘Sadly, bike theft has turn out to be successfully decriminalised throughout London, and I’m shocked to see that fewer than 1 in 10 instances are literally solved.
‘Hundreds of victims are being failed, while criminals get away with none penalties.
‘The Liberal Democrats are calling for “Operation Bike Bait”, a devoted unit that may work intently with native forces to deal with this spiralling downside.’
Get in contact with our information crew by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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