Bike haul found after teen turns detective

This is the huge collection of suspected stolen bikes seized after a 14-year-old boy's bicycle was taken from outside a shop.

Police found the huge haul concealed in the back gardens and sheds of two houses in Wolverhampton after a piece of internet detective work by the teenager.

Officers are now trying to establish who the rightful owners of the 53 bikes are. The boy left his bike outside shops on Raynor Road, Fallings Park, before emerging to see a man riding off on it.

The youngster then visited the usedwolverhampton.co.uk website and saw what he thought was his bike up for sale.

When the youngster went to the seller's address he found his bike and pointed out unique scratch marks on the frame that he had made to identify the bike in the event of it being stolen.

The occupier allowed him to take the bike away, but police were called and discovered a further 25 bikes at the property on Bruford Road, Penn Fields.

Two Mini-Motos were also found at the address.

Police then raided a second address on nearby Russell Street and found the rest of the haul.

The bikes, including BMX, children's and racing models, were being stored in the back gardens and garages of the properties.

Makes seized included Saracen, Probike and Raleigh. Some appeared to be nearly new, while others showed some wear and tear.

Two men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of theft and handling stolen goods and released on bail after the raids on Saturday. Those arrested were 20, 27 and 41 and from the Penn Fields area.

Pc Kate Powell-Perry, of Low Hill police, said today the bikes were worth several thousand pounds.

She said: "We're now just working through our systems to find reports of bikes being stolen in the area in recent weeks or months.

"We can't say how they've been stolen because bikes can be taken in a variety of circumstances, including shed break-ins and robberies. But we'd like to hear from anyone in the Wolverhampton area who has had a bike stolen in the last couple of months to contact officers at Low Hill."

Call police officers on 0345 113 5000.