Police raid uncovers ONE HUNDRED suspected stolen bikes packed inside Sunderland house

Northumbria Police officers were said to be shocked as they executed a warrant in Padgate Road and found the huge number of cycles, with the estimates value of then running into thousands of pounds.

Now the team is working to establish how many of them have been stolen so they can be reunited with their owners, with investigators believing they may have been stolen in burglaries in the city, as well as South Shields, Gateshead and Newcastle or from the street.

A 37-year-old man and 34-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to handle stolen goods and have since been released on police bail.

Detective Constable Louise Edwards said: “This is clearly a significant seizure of more than 100 bicycles and we strongly believe that the overwhelming majority of them may be stolen – either from burglaries across the region or taken off the streets.

“We are now carrying out a range of inquiries in order to identify who some of the bikes belong to and we are desperate to return as many as we can to their rightful owners.

“Meanwhile, a wide-ranging investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the discovery, and we have already interviewed two individuals in connection with those inquiries.

“If you have had a bicycle stolen within the Sunderland, South Tyneside, Newcastle or Gateshead areas in recent weeks, please get in touch with the make, model, colour and if possible serial number of the bike, along with any other distinguishing features.

“We are committed to tackling this type of criminality and will use every tactic at our disposal to make sure any burglars or thieves responsible are brought to justice.”

If anyone recognises any of the bikes pictured, or have had been a victim of this type of crime in recent months, email [email protected] with as much description as possible of the stolen bicycle in question.

Alternatively, people can contact us via the Tell Us Something page of its website or by ringing 101 quoting log 260 120820.

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