Moment bikers use tracking app to confront men ripping apart stolen motorcycle

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This is the moment bikers and police confront a group of men in a backyard in south London after a tracker led them to a stolen motorcycle.

The £1,700 bike had been locked in a parking bay in Prince of Wales Drive, Battersea, when it was swiped on the afternoon of Friday, May 26.

The victim discovered it had been stolen after returning from lunch, immediately checking the tracker and discovering it had been taken to a location a little over a mile away, in Heath Road.

He promptly headed down there, but not before alerting a group of around 15 fellow bikers who were quick to join him.

The delivery driver, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Standard: "I called up friends from everywhere, they are all bike owners, and we headed down there at about 5.30pm. I called the police just before arriving.

"There were about six people just standing about, and one guy with a spanner pulling apart my bike.

"There were parts scattered everywhere, nuts and bolts all over the floor. There was a garden nearby with engines and more bike parts.

Confrontation: The bike was found in Battersea

"I was angry more than anything, shocked. My friends were just as angry if not more.

"I saw my motorcycle and went up to the guy pulling it apart and said 'that is my bike' and he went a bit defensive and said he bought it off some guy for £250.

"That didn't make sense - you're buying a bike of that value, it's clearly more expensive, you're not stupid."

Police confirmed they arrested a 30-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of receiving stolen goods. He has been released under investigation.

Thiago Silva, 28, a fellow delivery driver who rushed to the location alongside his friend, added: "There was a group of about five or seven guys around the bike, which I couldn't even recognise. There were lots of different parts from different bikes on the ground.

"The police arrived and they explained themselves and said it was a few kids who stole the bike and sold it.

"They arrested the one guy but he was released the next day. The police cannot do anything, it's a big problem but nothing ever happens."

A Met Police spokesman said: "Police were called at 5.27pm on Friday, May 26, to reports of a stolen moped being dismantled at Heath Road.

"Police attended and arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of receiving stolen goods.

"He was taken to a south London police station and was subsequently released under investigation.

"Officers from Lambeth CID investigate. Enquiries continue."

Anyone who has information should contact Lambeth CID by dialling 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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