A man from Bristol has been jailed for stealing two motocross bikes in Wiltshire.
Benjamin Harper, 25, of Hartcliffe, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary involving the two vehicles being stolen from securely locked sheds in the Trowbridge area last year. He appeared before Salisbury Crown Court and was sentenced to 14 months in prison.
Officers have seen an increase in motocross bikes being stolen from secure sheds and garages, Wiltshire Police said in a statement released on Tuesday (May 24). The force has launched a team known as ‘Fortitude’ to focus its efforts on both apprehending offenders and helping to ensure people don’t fall victim to this type of offence following a spate of vehicle thefts.
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Police have urged owners of motorbikes, or other high-value vehicles, to be cautious when advertising them for sale on social media or attending bike shows or events. They have suggested those concerned should invest in a tracking device to ensure vehicles and other high-value property is secure as possible.
Welcoming the sentence, PC Ben Williams from the Fortitude team said: “We know that these sorts of burglaries cause frustration, anger and financial harm to motorbike owners and we have been working hard to communicate with the motocross community to highlight the dangers of their bikes being targeted through social media, selling sites and bike shows.
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“We would urge owners to be incredibly vigilant when attending these sorts of events or advertising bikes for sale over the internet or social media. Our advice would be to always be cautious, especially if you are trying to arrange to sell a bike, to make sure you aren’t inadvertently highlighting your valuable bike to potential criminals who might then try to steal it.
“The same goes for other vehicles, as well as scooters and pushbikes, and if you own a valuable vehicle then please consider investing in a tracking device to attach to your hard-earned property. We want to help ensure your property is as secure as possible and, should the worst ever happen, you have done everything within your power to ensure your bike is located.”
