Seven men jailed for stealing bikes worth £70k from Rutland Cycling shop

A gang of bike thieves have been jailed after attempting to steal £70,000 worth of bikes from a Rutland Cycling branch. 

Cambridge Constabulary police officers arrived at the Rutland Cycling shop in Grafham Water within six minutes of receiving a 999 call in August this year. 

Officers then pursued a Volkswagen Crafter van used to steal 23 bikes worth £70,000, before catching the thieves as they attempted to escape on foot. The police also found wrenches and an angle grinder in the van, used to break through the shop's roller shutters at 2.50am on August 2. 

The occupants of a black Skoda Yeti were also arrested shortly afterwards, which had crashed nearby the Rutland Cycling shop. 

Rutland Cycling is a chain of 13 bike shops in central England. The men, all from Birmingham, had scoped out the store the day before they attempted the raid.

The seven men had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit a burglary with intent to steal, and were sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday 15 October. 

Ryan Griffin, 29, of Mill View, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Jamelle Payne, 33, of Green Lane, Handsworth, was sentenced to three years and four months.

Nazim Latif, 23, of Kinver Croft, was sentenced to three years.

Nathan Holmes, 25, of Tessall Farm Croft, was sentenced to three years.

Shane Thornton, 29, of Church Road, was sentenced to three years.

Arron Robinson, 30, of Folliott Road, was sentenced to three years.

Adam Leek, 38, of Brean Avenue, was sentenced to three years. 

Detective Constable Steve Surtees of Cambridgeshire Constabulary said: “These men were not just opportunist thieves, they had planned this burglary, travelling from Birmingham the previous day to scope out the shop before returning with tools to break in and attempting to disguise their identity with dark clothing and masks.

“Thanks to the quick actions of the officers on the day, the bikes were recovered and not able to be sold on and these seven men are now behind bars."