15-year-old sentenced to prison for motorcycle theft

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy has been sentenced to four months in a young offender’s institution after pleading guilty to 11 vehicle theft related offences in Bristol.

The boy, who was arrested under Operation Buell – Avon and Somerset Constabulary’s ongoing fight against vehicle theft – pleaded guilty to the offences during a hearing at Bristol Youth Court on Monday, 1 October. He was handed a four month Detention Training Order.

The teenager admitted committing six offences on 7 March – breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order he already had. On this occasion he stole a Honda motorbike from The Downs, drove without insurance, without a licence and on a road without protective head gear. He also failed to stop for police.

He pleaded guilty to taking a Vauxhall Corsa from Lawrence Weston without the owner’s consent on 15 March and driving another, a Mercedes from Henbury, without consent and without a license and insurance on 10 April. He also stole another Mercedes from Clifton on Monday 24 September.

Inspector Rob Cheeseman, who is leading the Operation, commented: “This boy has been a prolific offender. He has repeatedly deprived people of their vehicles causing them distress and great inconvenience.

“However, no one wants to see a person of his age deprived of their liberty and I hope he now uses his time in detention as an opportunity to learn from his mistakes.”

Earlier this year, Visordown reported on a group of motorcycle thieves who went by the Instagram name ‘Bristol Bike Taker’. It is unclear whether this youth is associated with the group.