Moment ‘brazen’ balaclava-clad robbers rip elite biking group’s £8,000 bike from automotive roof and threaten group supervisor with large machete
Two ‘brazen’ robbers in balaclavas ripped an elite cycling team’s £8,000 bike from a car roof before threatening their manager with a machete.
Video footage shows the moment one of the thieves, who arrived on a motorbike, lifted one of the bikes over his shoulder before the pair made their escape.
Jakroo Handsling Racing took to social media to share news of the theft, saying: ‘Bike theft in London has become organised and brazen. Today it crossed the line into violent robbery.’
The team told how the two robbers struck while manager Tony Poole, 33, was busy loading several bikes onto a roof rack of his car in preparation for a race in the Peak District last weekend.
Having loaded two and locked them in place, he stepped away from the vehicle, parked in a Dover Park Drive in Putney.
It was then, at around 2.55pm, that the thieves seized their opportunity, clambering onto the roof of the car in a bid to rip the carbon Handsling A1R0evoS racing bikes.
They succeeded in seizing one and caused substantive damage to the second as they attempted to pull it from the roof, the team. The racing bikes can retail for up to £8,000.
Mr Poole became aware of the incident after another driver, who witnessed the brazen daylight theft, began sounding their horn.
Video footage shows the moment one of the thieves, who arrived on a motorbike, lifted one of the bikes over his shoulder before the pair made their escape
The elite racing team had one bike stolen from the top of a car in Putney, London, on Friday
The second bike, which the thieves also attempted to steal, sustained major damage, the team said
When he approached the robbers, one of them threatened him with a large machete, the team said.
In a statement on social media, the team said: ‘Today [Friday] at 2:55pm, two thieves in balaclavas on a moped stole our team bikes directly off a locked roof rack in a residential street in Putney.’
They continued: ‘When confronted by one of the team managers, one of the thieves brandished a large knife and threatened them.
‘The thieves then sped away with one of our red Jakroo Handsling bikes. They left the other one completely destroyed, hanging mangled off the roof rack.
‘Police have been informed. This wasn’t overnight theft. This was broad daylight, in a residential street, in front of witnesses.’
They added: ‘Bike theft in London has become organised and brazen. Today it crossed the line into violent robbery.
‘Senseless really, when you realise how much damage the bikes sustained as they were in the process of being stolen.’
Last year, figures revealed victims of bike theft were more likely to win the lottery than get them back.
Some 6,721 bikes were reported stolen to the Met between January and June 2025, but by September just 39 cases had seen anyone charged, prosecuted or cautioned.
This equated to 0.6 per cent of cases having what the police coin ‘a positive outcome’ – compared to an 11 per cent chance of winning any prize on the National Lottery.
In February 2025, just four of the city’s 855 reported thefts resulted in a charge or caution.
It is thought the real number of bike thefts is significantly higher due to underreporting.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: ‘On Friday, 13 March at 15:01hrs police were called to reports of a robbery on Dover Park Drive, Putney.
‘The suspects fled the scene before officers attended. A bike was stolen from the roof of a car. No injuries were reported.
‘Police are aware of video on social media which appears to show the incident taking place. This will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
‘Enquiries continue and anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 3953/13MAR26.’
