Two men have been arrested on suspicion of theft following a dramatic police chase through Chester.
Officers chased the suspected thieves after they were allegedly spotted cutting through a lock to steal a mountain bike from outside Chester Cathedral, yesterday afternoon (June 2).
One male was detained in Frodsham Street, while the second was arrested on Deva Lane after cycling away from the scene, say police.
Lee Marr and Christopher Mitchell, both 25, from Liverpool, have been charged with theft of the pedal cycle and will appear at Chester Magistrates Court later this month.
Police say the arrests, which come after a spate of bike thefts across the city, send a clear message to potential criminals that the city is ‘not an easy target’.
“It sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can travel into the Chester area that we have a very responsive police team that will respond to incidents quickly and deal robustly with offenders and bring them to justice,” said Inspector Brian Green of Chester Outer Neighbourhood Policing Unit.
“I understand there was a heightened Police presence for a short time around the City centre whilst this incident was underway, but the community should feel reassured that these are isolated incidents and our presence on this occasion was to ensure the two males in question were apprehended in a speedy and effective manner.”
“We are keen to understand where stolen bikes end up, so anybody with information on this matter should contact Cheshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
