Four jailed after stealing up to £1m worth of motorcycles across Bristol

Three men who stole and handled motorcycles worth up to £1 million before bragging about their exploits on social media have been jailed following what Avon and Somerset Police has described as a major investigation into organised motorcycle theft.

Marshall Thomas, 18, Cameron Stevens, 22, Brandon Carter, 22, and Sonnie Davies, 20, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on July 3 after previously admitting a string of offences. Collectively, the four received a total of 24 years behind bars.

According to police, Thomas, Stevens and Carter were responsible for stealing and handling motorcycles and scooters with a combined value estimated at between £600,000 and £1 million throughout 2025. The trio operated in broad daylight, riding stolen motorcycles into areas known for expensive bikes before using tools to defeat steering locks, immobilisers and physical security devices. Victims and members of the public who attempted to intervene were reportedly threatened.

Once stolen, the bikes were taken to a "safe" location where security systems were removed before the motorcycles were sold, often going on to be brazenly advertised through social media. Police said the group also uploaded content online boasting about the thefts, something that ultimately formed part of the evidence against them.

One incident highlighted in court saw the trio attempt to rob a rider outside Ashton Gate Stadium in September, leaving the victim requiring stitches to injuries sustained during the attack. Another turning point came on December 8 when members of the public intervened during an attempted theft, allowing investigators to piece together the scale of the operation.

As well as the motorcycle offences, Thomas, Carter and Davies were also sentenced over the kidnapping and violent assault of a 15-year-old boy, whom they wrongly believed had stolen one of "their" motorcycles from a stash location.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Rich Fear said the defendants had shown "a complete disregard for the harm and distress" caused to victims, adding that for many riders a motorcycle is not just a hobby but also their primary means of getting to work and earning a living.

The case also serves as another reminder that organised motorcycle theft remains a significant issue across the UK. While modern trackers, disc locks and ground anchors won't make a bike impossible to steal, they can add enough time and difficulty to persuade thieves to move on to an easier target.

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