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Man caught trying to steal bike... from a police station

Thief in Glasgow told that “Stealing a bike from the back of a police station is not exactly the brightest move”

A thief who stole a bicycle from a police station in Glasgow has been handed a supervision order, with the sheriff who sentenced him saying that the crime was “not exactly the brightest move.”

David Hendry was spotted by two police officers who were driving past Stewart Street police office at 0150 hours on 26 January this year, reports the Glasgow Times.

The 36 year old 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.

Prosecuting, procurator fiscal depute Victoria Keel told Glasgow Sheriff Court: “Police apprehended the accused and observed the bike to be a police production bike kept in the yard.

“They applied handcuffs to him and informed him of the offence. Thereafter, police carried out system checks noting that the accused had bail conditions to stay within his home between 7pm-7am, which was breached.

“He was informed of the further offence. He was conveyed to Govan police office. He was not formally cautioned and charged due to being under the influence. The bike was fully recovered and had no damage.”

The lawyer defending Hendry, who had admitted theft at an earlier hearing, said that the electronic gates to the yard were open since they were broken and had not been repaired.

Sheriff Mark McGuire asked him: “Police were storing productions in a wide-open gate?” He also said that he was considering imposing a supervision order.

“That’s my submission,” replied Hendry’s lawyer. “He is willing to comply with that. He’s in homeless accommodation which is not suitable for a restriction of liberty order.

“If this man got on top of his issues that will have more of an effect than anything else,” he added.

Hendry was placed under an 18-month social work supervision order, which will be reviewed after three months, and is also required to attend counselling for alcohol and drug addiction.

“Stealing a bike from the back of a police station is not exactly the brightest move,” the sheriff told Hendry.

“The fact you were caught was inevitable and if you hadn’t been caught then you would have been at some point.

“You clearly have a significant number of issues that need to be addressed. Sentencing is designed to try to address them.

“If you can get on top of them then this might allow you to turn your life around,” the sheriff added “If you don’t engage you could be in and out of court for the rest of your life.”

We’ve reported on a number of cases over the years in which thieves have stolen bikes from police stations, where clearly there is a higher chance of getting caught than there is in other, more secluded locations.

Last year, 43 Jane McGrath was jailed for 19 weeks after taking a bike from a cycle store in the van dock area of Runcorn police station last August.

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

In 2018, a man broke into a police station in Utah and reportedly ‘stole’ back his own bike, which had been recovered by police.

David Elwin Snow, the bike’s apparent owner had not reported the original theft to the police, so officers had been unable to return it to him when he came to Provo Police Department and asked for it back.

Snow returned that evening and took it from the outdoor area where it was stored, with officers only becoming aware of what had happened after his brother, who had accompanied him, boasted of having “pulled off the crime of the century.”

Provo Police Sergeant Nisha King said: “This is a first.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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10 comments

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Ride On | 2 years ago
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He also caused “unsanitary damage to a cell” after being arrested... nice👌

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mdavidford replied to Ride On | 2 years ago
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Ride On wrote:

He also caused “unsanitary damage to a cell” after being arrested... nice👌

[At risk of kicking off another thousand-comment thread] I don't know what pronouns Jane McGrath prefers, but Road.cc used 'she' when reporting the story.

Avatar
Wingguy replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
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Well,  there were 43 of her and presumably only one toilet so it's not really a surprise.

And much as I dislike bike thieves, 19 weeks for taking one bike when drivers literally get away with murder day after day, year after year is grossly unfair.

Avatar
chrisonabike | 2 years ago
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When I read " 'Police were storing productions in a wide-open gate?' " it sounded like either slack policing or genius. I imagine defective maintenance and stuff not getting done on time is fairly standard for the police though. That kind of lack of resources must be why they don't have time to properly police driving offenses, even those causing serious injury or death. Or review submitted video footage.

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Rik Mayals unde... | 2 years ago
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They 'applied' handcuffs? 

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jh2727 | 2 years ago
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What are "police productions"?

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mdavidford replied to jh2727 | 2 years ago
2 likes

jh2727 wrote:

What are "police productions"?

Something like this, maybe?

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Hirsute replied to jh2727 | 2 years ago
1 like

I assume it has police livery all over it in the same way a patrol car does.

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brooksby | 2 years ago
0 likes

Some people really are desperate, aren't they? 

Avatar
joe9090 | 2 years ago
1 like

Do we need squid games, or gulags, or a combination of the two? 

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