Three suspected bike thieves have been arrested in south London by officers from Sussex Police, who had followed them for 50 miles from Brighton.
Sussex Police said that a bicycle was stolen from Preston Park, Brighton, and put in a van in a nearby street, Stanford Avenue, at 9.15pm on the evening of Thursday 25 January.
The suspects then drove off and headed up the A23 towards London, but were followed by officers, who eventually stopped them in Mitcham, south London and made the arrests.
The suspects, a 51-year-old man, a 24-year-old man and a 15-year-old youth, were arrested on suspicion of theft and have been released under investigation.
Inspector Paul Ransome of Sussex Police said: "We are continuing to target bike thieves with Operation Ensnare.
“Even though these suspected thieves left Sussex, we were still able to pursue them and arrest them."
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.