Martin Patrick Magill (18) pleaded guilty to stealing a bicycle worth £50 from a woman outside the Shoreline Housing centre on Mornington Road in Southport on November 25.
It’s the second time Magill has been caught stealing someone’s bike in recent weeks.
Sefton magistrates imposed a 12 week curfew (7pm to 7am) and ordered Magill to comply with rehabilitation activity requirement when ordered to do so by a probation officer for 20 days.
Magill was ordered to pay £50 compensation to his victim, plus £85 court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Magill had previously been given a conditional discharge at Sefton Magistrates Court on November 25, after he was caught stealing a bicycle worth £250 belonging to a male, outside the Hungry Horse restaurant on The Promenade in Southport on September 18 last year.
admitted breaching the conditional discharge by committing his latest offence.
Martin Magill (18) of Southport has been charged after bike theft
Martin Magill aged 18 of Southport has been charged with the theft of a pedal cycle stolen from Southport town centre
The number of bike thefts in Southport have increased, according to Merseyside Police.
The North Sefton team issued the warning on Twitter on November 9 alongside advice on how to best secure your bike.
In August this year, 32 bikes were reported stolen in Southport, with 25 reported in September.
In July, there were only nine reported stolen.
In September, Lord Street was the most targeted place, with Chapel Street the most targeted in August.
To help combat the rising number of thefts, Merseyside Police are working alongside Wayfarer’s Arcade to offer security advice in a “Pop Up Cop Shop” which opens on Monday, November 16 and will be operational until December.
Officers will on hand to issue anti-theft devices and there will be a limited number of tracker devices available. Halford’s will also offer free checks.
Lock it or lose it!
Thefts of bikes are on the increase in Southport. In many cases the bikes stolen have not even been locked; Just left outside shops and houses. In some cases, bolt cutters or hacksaws have been used to cut locks off.
Neighbourhood officers are patrolling to try and catch those responsible and some arrests have been made however, cycle owners need to consider what measures they’re taking to keep their bikes secure.
Take these steps to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of cycle crime:
- ALWAYS lock your bike to a post, railing, tree or other secure object.
- If possible leave your bike in secure cycle storage, and even then, use a cycle lock as well.
- Spend at least 5% of the value of your bike on the best quality lock you can buy. Look for something sturdy enough to resist attack from bolt cutters or hack saws.
- Consider removing quick release wheels, saddles or other easily removable parts.
- Security mark your bike. A variety of companies offer this service free of charge. Some additional security marking methods require payment.
Neighbourhood officers are available to register bikes on the www.immobilise.com database at any of the 16 Police Surgeries that are. to be held between October and the end of December, listed elsewhere on this web page. Look out for more ‘Bike Marking’ events over the next few weeks.
For more information, click on the link attached to the Home Office booklet ‘Stop them taking your bike for a ride’.
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