Thief jailed after pleading guilty to nine counts of motorcycle theft

Ronnie Beckett, aged 22, of Hyndman Close, Crawley, has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail after pleading guilty to nine out of 11 motorcycle theft-related charges.

The thief, who reportedly stole a mix of mopeds and motorcycles to sell on for cash, was arrested, charged, and then brought before the court.

According to Sussex Police, Beckett’s crime spree took place across Crawley, Gatwick, Horsham and Redhill, in Surrey.

Beckett was arrested in relation to ten counts of theft, and one attempted theft between June 13, and November 3.

His crimes followed a similar pattern, with all but two of them taking place at the victims’ workplaces.

Beckett was sentenced to six-and-a-half years’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on September 24, with all offences to run concurrently (two years’ imprisonment total).

PC Michelle Robinson, of Gatwick CID (Criminal Investigation Department), said: 

“We knew that Beckett had been a menace to the local community for quite some time; the difficulty was to prove it. Thanks to a team of dedicated officers, we were able to link him to several offences which he has now been convicted of in court.

“This result demonstrates our tenacity to target offenders and our commitment to seeking justice for victims. The vast majority of victims in this investigation had their vehicles stolen through no fault of their own, and they were severely impacted by their inability to travel to and from their place of employment.

“Thankfully, we were able to swiftly recover some of the stolen vehicles, however a lot of them required extensive repairs which of course is a further cost and hindrance to the owners.

“We know how vital this form of transport is to so many people in the local area, and I would encourage any victims of theft to continue to report it to us. We are here to help.”

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