Man arrested after trying to steal bike from police station

A man who asked police for a lift home from Cheshire to North Wales and, after officers declined to grant his request, tried to steal a bike from the police station’s car park, has been arrested for attempted theft.

Posting to Facebook yesterday, Warrington Police said: “Officers came into contact with a male that insisted on having a lift home to North Wales.

“We explained the difference between the Police and taxi services, however the male made a ‘wheelie’ bad decision and decided to try and steal a bike from within the police station car park.

“The male has been arrested for attempted theft, being found on enclosed premises and possession of cannabis.”

Warrington Police added: “He will have to arrange his travel home in the morning, let’s hope it doesn't become a vicious cycle ... ”

Officers did not clarify whether the bicycle that the man attempted to take belonged to Cheshire Police, or was one that may have been stolen then recovered and was awaiting being reunited with its owner.

Bizarrely, it is not the first time we have reported on a case of bike theft at one of the force’s police stations.

In 2021, Jane McGrath was jailed for 19 weeks and ordered to pay £55 plus a £73 victim surcharge after she stole a bicycle from a cycle store in the van dock area of Runcorn Police Station.

Appearing before Warrington Magistrates’ Court, the 43 year old admitted burglary, criminal damage and failing to comply with supervision requirements.

Cheshire Police said that McGrath had also caused “unsanitary damage to a cell” after being arrested. 

Besides those two incidents in Cheshire, we’ve reported on a number of other cases in which people have somehow thought it a good idea to try and steal a bicycle from a police station.

Last year, a sheriff in Scotland told David Hendry that attempting to steal a bike from a police station in Glasgow was “not exactly the brightest move” as he handed the 36 year old a supervision order.

Hendry had been spotted by two police officers who were driving past Stewart Street police office at 0150 hours on 26 January last year, as he was about to make off from the rear yard of the police station, which serves the city centre, on a bike he had found there.

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