Two Year Jail Sentence for Prolific Bike Thief

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One of charges against Francis Graham was a theft on Shepherd's Bush Road

Francis Graham

A serial bike thief who is believed to have stolen cycles worth over £10,000 in a spree across London has been jailed for two years. Most of the bikes stolen have not been recovered.

26-year-old France Graham of Hunter Street, WC1 took bikes from both public spaces and shops and was charged with eleven offences including a theft from commercial premises on Shepherd’s Bush Road in December of last year.

Graham was identified and arrested as a result of a joint investigation by the Met and City of London Police. During police interview he was shown a CCTV image of a man stealing a pedal cycle. Although he initially denied that he was the man in the footage, when presented with overwhelming additional CCTV and DNA evidence spanning a variety of incidents, he admitted the offences.

After he was charged this September he appeared that same day at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and was remanded in custody later pleading guilty to all charges. He appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, 16 November, where he was sentenced to imprisonment. He was already serving a suspended sentence. A five-year Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted.

He is to appear at Inner London Crown Court on Friday, 20 November to be sentenced for another offence.

HHJ Davies, said during sentencing: “You were a one man crime wave stealing in a sophisticated way. You tailgated residents into areas to which you didn’t have access, removing decent locks and taking bicycles. What happened afterwards remains a mystery. How much you got for them and who benefits from them, where they are now remains a mystery.

"It causes upset and stress to lose a bicycle, taking into account the cost of them. They are expensive. These were not toys, they were used for commuting. One was stolen from a hospital worker from a secure compound. These offences are aggravated by your previous convictions, which are many. Your previous convictions are around theft of bicycles. You are a professional bike thief. In my judgement these offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence is justified.”

PC Aleksander Hancock, of the Met’s South West Burglary and Robbery Investigation Team, said: “For many people living and working in London, cycling is their only form of transport. The inconvenience and upset caused by Graham in helping himself to the property of so many victims simply cannot be measured.

“I am pleased that the efforts of my team, and our police colleagues at City of London, have afforded Londoners a well-earned rest from Graham’s criminal activities.

“The lasting effects of becoming a victim of theft often last far beyond the replacement of the stolen items. Graham will have time to reflect on this as he serves his sentence.”

 

November 17, 2020