..One-legged bike theif caught in the act!
http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/homepage/legged-Bristol-thief-caught-city-centre/article-1334741-detail/article.html
Monday, September 14, 2009, 07:00
A one-legged thief was caught by plain-clothed police trying to make off with a bike in Bristol city centre.
Joquim da Silva, of Jamaica Street, was thwarted as he tried to steal a bicycle on Wine Street.
But it soon emerged the 35-year-old had a prosthetic lower limb on one of his legs.
The pictures of da Silva being pinned to the floor were sent to the Evening Post by photographer Dan Plummer, of DLR Images, who was doing work for Project Bicyclette on Tuesday.
Dan, 28, from Stokes Croft, said: "We were set up at the end of Wine Street nearest St Nick's Market when, at around 12.50pm, I was distracted by a scuffle happening in the road behind me, where Wine Street turns into High Street.
"I went over to see what was happening and grabbed a few quick snaps. Two men were being arrested for bike theft by two plain-clothed officers and two police community support officers.
"One of the support officers was scrabbling around under a parked car looking for a bike lock and bolt cutters that one of the thieves had tried to discard."
Project Bicyclette has made a performance stage powered by bikes and aims to take it to festivals around the country to educate people about reusable energy.
The photographer added: "I know that Bristol is trying to become the bike capital.
"Also, the whole incident happened not only by our bike-powered stage but across the road from one of the new bike rental stands."
Da Silva appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and was sentenced to six weeks in prison for the theft.
With other offences taken into account, he was jailed for 18 weeks in total.
Avon and Somerset police's Inspector Phil Davis said: "These arrests show that police in Bristol are taking cycle theft very seriously.
"Our plain-clothes officers are out in force on the lookout for cycle thieves and we will come down hard on anyone we catch stealing bikes.
"We are working very hard to make Bristol a safe place to be a cyclist and are working closely with the council's Cycling City team to ensure that there are safe places for owners to park their bikes in the city.
"If you own a bike make sure you make it hard for thieves to steal by using a good quality lock and if you see anything suspicious around a cycle parking area please dial 999."
The other suspect's case has not yet been concluded.
