'How I led police to a thief and got my bike back'

About 20,000 bicycles are stolen in London every year. And if your bike is one of those, there's little chance of you either getting it back - or of the thief being caught.

When his was taken, Alasdair Bayman from east London thought he would be another of the unfortunate victims to never see their bike again.

But then he found it listed on an online marketplace.

He cooked up a plan that would not only lead to the recovery of his bike within 48 hours - but also to the arrest and criminal charge of the man thought to have stolen it.

Mr Bayman, who lives in Dalston, said he had been upset when he discovered his bike was no longer in the communal hallway of his block of flats.

The 28-year-old had planned to take advantage of a sunny Sunday morning and cycle to Kent.

"I cycled to France over the summer to meet my girlfriend and I have recently been getting it ready for the winter season, to get it into good shape.

"I've put a lot of time, money and energy into it," he said.

Later that evening, as he scrolled through the selling platform Gumtree, he saw his Cannondale Topstone listed for less than half its value.

Mr Bayman said he was determined to get his bike back and was resigned to buying it after negotiating the price down to £750.

A time and date was agreed for the pickup - and when a police officer assigned to the case telephoned him, Mr Bayman told him what he planned to do.

The police advised him to not get the bike on his own, so his girlfriend Eloïse Wright was drafted in. The police also sent officers to accompany them.

Mr Bayman and Ms Wright went to Walthamstow, thinking it would be plain sailing - but there was a trap.

The thief had been watching them from a different block of flats. He changed his name on Gumtree and went silent when Mr Bayman said he had arrived.

The police got access to one of the blocks and worked out that the pictures posted on the online marketplace matched the inside hallway.

They knocked on a door and when the thief's mother answered, she asked the police: "What's he done now?"

Mr Bayman's bike was there, along with three others.

Less than 48 hours after it had been stolen, a "very, very relieved" Mr Bayman had his bike back.

The Metropolitan Police said a 21-year-old man had been arrested and had since been charged in connection with handling stolen goods.

He will appear at Thames Magistrates' Court next month.

Mr Bayman said he felt justice had been done - and he was "thankful" the police had taken it seriously.

He added: "I hope this shows thieves 'you can't get away with this'."

A spokesperson for Gumtree said: "We do not tolerate the sale of stolen goods on our platform, and we take the issue of cycle crime very seriously.

"We strongly urge anyone who suspects that they have found their stolen property listed on our site to contact law enforcement and report it to us via our helpdesk."

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