British Cycling Team Robbed of Race Bike in London

The JAKROO Handsling Racing team was the victim of an armed robbery in Putney, South London, on Friday afternoon, resulting in the theft of one of their race bikes. The incident, captured on video by a neighbor, involved two individuals who threatened a team manager with a knife.

Details of the Robbery

According to a post on Instagram by JAKROO Handsling Racing, the robbery occurred at approximately 2:55 PM on Friday. Two thieves, both wearing balaclavas, stole a bike directly off a locked roof rack of a car parked on a residential street. One of the thieves physically ripped the bike from the rack while the other waited on a moped with the license plate PK24 EXD.

During the confrontation, one of the thieves brandished a large knife and threatened a team manager. A second bike on the rack was completely destroyed in the process.

Rising Bike Theft in London

The team highlighted the increasing problem of bike theft in London, stating that it has become “organised and brazen.” They emphasized that this incident escalated to violent robbery and shared the video in hopes of raising awareness and improving safety for cyclists.

Recent Bike Thefts in Professional Cycling

This incident is not isolated. Last year, 11 bikes were stolen from the Cofidis team truck during the Tour de France before stage 2. A month later, at the Vuelta a España, as many as 18 bikes were stolen from Visma-Lease a Bike team vehicles prior to stage 3. Both of these thefts occurred overnight.

JAKROO Handsling Racing

JAKROO Handsling Racing has expanded from a team of eight British riders to an international roster of 10 riders this season, competing in both UK national races and UCI calendar events. Some team members recently participated in The Peaks 2 Day p/b Velo Dege stage race on March 14-15.

The team is urging anyone with information about the robbery to contact them or the Metropolitan Police.

Sources: Cycling Weekly, MSN, Cyclingnews, Sticky Bottle