Toolbox-carrying suspect spotted taking late-night bike ride

A suspected thief tried to cycle away from police with a large toolbox balanced on their handlebars.

Response officers first spotted the rider as they were making their way along Coleby Road, in Broxtowe.

The sight of the toolbox aroused the suspicions of police, due to it being around 2.40am on Tuesday (29 October).

Based on this, officers turned on their blue lights, with the individual responding by riding down a footpath in Cinderhill Road.

Police then got out of their vehicle and chased after the cyclist on foot, who they found – along with a discarded toolbox – shortly afterwards.

Following a further sweep of the area, officers located a damaged van in nearby Broxtowe Lane, that had been broken into, with several items taken.

These were found to match the ones in the discarded toolbox.

The 17-year-old boy police had earlier spotted and detained was subsequently arrested on suspicion of theft from a vehicle.   

Inspector Paul Whitehead, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“This arrest was a fantastic example of the alertness shown by our officers when they’re out on the roads, no matter the time on the clock.

“They were able to spot something that didn’t seem right – in this case someone riding a bike in the middle of the night with a toolbox perched on the handlebars.

“Believing the individual to be involved in criminal activity, police gave chase and detained a suspect, who they later linked to a theft where a vehicle was broken into.

“Thanks to the actions of the response colleagues involved in this incident, we were quickly able to return a set of stolen tools to their owner.”