Prolific bike thief is sentenced

Westrop caused "misery and distress" police said

A labourer who stole bikes left by commuters at railway stations in the south-east has been given a five-month suspended sentence.

Daniel Westrop, 27, admitted 10 counts of bicycle theft while 93 similar offences were taken into consideration.

He was ordered by magistrates in Woking, Surrey, to pay his victims a total of £2,800 in compensation.

Westrop, from Bromley, south-east London, was also banned from parts of the rail network for five years.

He stole mostly mountain bikes from cycle racks used by commuters at stations between Fleet and London Waterloo.

'Commuter misery'

The stations he targeted most were West Byfleet, Walton on Thames, Brookwood and Surbiton.

He would then sell the bikes on the black market

Detective Sergeant Sarah White from the British Transport Police said: "Westrop was prolific in terms of his crimes, often taking two or three bikes at one time."

"The fact that he has been handed an ASBO preventing him from travelling on the parts of the network that he targeted most is very reassuring given the distress and misery he caused to many commuters who had their property taken."

Westrop was also ordered to serve 100 hours of community service.