News / Crime
‘It was about throwing it in people’s faces’
A former member of a prolific gang of motorbike thieves has admitted he taunted victims on social media to show “we can do what we want”.
Wearing a black balaclava, the man, known only by a pseudonym Ryan, reveals all in a candid interview with the BBC, saying it was “all about throwing it in people’s faces”.
According to the police, ten motorbikes are stolen in Bristol each week in what has been described as an epidemic.
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Thieves post photos on social media to taunt their victims. Photo thanks to BBC Inside Out West
Talking about it, reformed thief Ryan, who started stealing bikes when he was a kid, says: “I did it just for the fun of it.”
“I’d go out on a nighttime and ride it around. Bikes are so easy to steal, I used to like going for the bigger bikes – they are the easiest to steal.”
Ryan did a stint in prison for the crime, but says this didn’t deter him and he was soon out stealing again – going out with bolt cutters or angle grinders to get at the bikes.
“I had the police coming to my house, but it was just a game to me,” says the now-reformed thief in a BBC Inside Out West documentary.
“The prison sentence wasn’t really a lot to be honest. I got 18 weeks. I did nine weeks and I was back out at it again.
“If there was a nice bike that I really wanted, I’d take a grinder out with me and just ride it round, on the main roads, racing my mates until it’s dead.”
Once out of petrol, Ryan and his mates would often set the bikes on fire and leave them.
They put their exploits on social media and posted balaclava-wearing selfies threatening they were “coming for your bikes”.
“It was about throwing it in people’s faces and saying ‘we can do what we want’,” says Ryan.
“If I want a bike I’m going to take it and there’s nothing anyone else can do about it. And by putting it on Instagram it was saying ‘f*** you’.” We wanted to be seen.”
Inspector Rob Cheeseman says social media can help police track down the thieves. Photo thanks to BBC Inside Out West
It is through this bragging on social media that police have been able to track down the culprits, but the actions of the gangs continue in neighbourhoods across Bristol.
Anger at the spike in thefts in recent years prompted volunteers Dom and Martin to take action. They set up the Bristol Bike Recovery project and have so far helped reunite 82 stolen bikes with their owners, helped by some 2,000 people on Facebook.
Bike hunters Dom and Martin help reunite owners with their stolen bikes. Photo thanks to BBC Inside Out West
“It’s not even just bikers anymore, it’s members of the community who are just fed up with it,” says Dom.
“They will track a bike from one end of Bristol to the other and it’s a massive help to us.”
The pair recovered a bike stolen from student Megan Hunter and even helped fix the wiring.
Speaking of her gratitude for their work, she says: “It’s such a juxtaposition from being robbed, but then seeing the goodness of people.”
Megan Hunter is reunited with her stolen bike. Photo thanks to BBC Inside Out West
The BBC Inside Out West documentary will be aired at 7.30pm on Monday, January 28.
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