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Man stops to help stranger fix bike – and realises it’s his own which had been stolen

Bike owner was on way home from nightshift when he encountered thief who had stolen it from his shed

A Glasgow man who stopped to help a stranger fix a bike quickly got a shock when he realised it was his own one.

John Devlin, aged 64, was on his way home from a night shift when he encountered Paul Hartey, who shortly beforehand had broken into his shed and stolen the bike, reports Glasgow Live.

As Mr Devlin, who lives in Drumchapel, helped repair the bike’s handlebars, he realised it was his own due to stickers on it, as well as having his helmet attached to it.

He said to Hartey, “That’s mine!” before chasing the thief down the street.

Appearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Hartey, aged 46, admitted stealing the bike on 18 June this year through forcing Mr Devlin’s shed open.

He also pleaded guilty to possession of a knife without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

Mr Devlin’s wife, Linda, had spotted that the shed door was broken, with possessions strewn around, when she woke up at 6.30am. Her husband headed home from work 10 minutes later.

Shona Howie, prosecuting, said: “He saw Hartey on the street looking like he is trying to fix a bike on his hands and knees.

“Mr Devlin stopped and said, ‘Do you need a hand? I will help you fix it’.

“As he tried to fix it, Mr Devlin recognised stickers and helmet attached to the bike.

“He recognised it to be his bike and said ‘That’s my bike’.”

Hartey drew a knife on Mr Devlin and made off, with Mr Devlin following him.

He was subsequently arrested after a call was put in to 999.

Defending Hartey, Keith Tuck said his client could not remember the incident and had been under the influence of drugs at the time.

Hartey was jailed by Sheriff Johanna Johnston QC for 15 months.

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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11 comments

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Rik Mayals unde... | 2 years ago
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I know the 'innocent until proven guilty', but I don't know how some solicitors sleep easy at night when they are charging an absolute fortune to try to get scroats off the hook. If they do, I hope they feel proud of themselves.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 2 years ago
3 likes

A lot of defence solicitors are court appointed and don't earn "fortunes". I expect for this person that was the case.

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Chris Hayes replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 2 years ago
1 like

...neither do criminal barristers which is why so many become MPs...

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Hirsute replied to Rik Mayals underpants | 2 years ago
1 like

Well, they don't get a fortune.
We do need a system where folk are represented, otherwise justice would not seem to be done.

Seems more of mitigation on the sentence here anyhow.

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Milkfloat | 2 years ago
0 likes

The defendant pulls out a knife and only gets 15 months, I was under the impression that possession of a knife is an automatic 5 year sentence? 

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Hirsute replied to Milkfloat | 2 years ago
1 like

Appears to be the maximum with 4 in England.

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Jenova20 | 2 years ago
1 like

Don't you just hate when you stop to help a stranger repair their bike, and it turns out to be yours...

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Geoff Ingram | 2 years ago
1 like

Odd but it happens. Had a kawasaki GPZ 900R stolen in Alicante and met it at a traffic light on a rented yam 80. Tried to grab the key but he jumped the lights and I gave chase. Kept him in sight til city limits when obviously vanished. 

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Geoff Ingram replied to Geoff Ingram | 2 years ago
1 like

The "key was a metal stick stuck in the ignition. Very basic then.

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Steve K | 2 years ago
2 likes

Braver man than me: at this point "Hartey drew a knife on Mr Devlin and made off" I'd have made off in the opposite direction with my bike.

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Hirsute | 2 years ago
2 likes

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