Motorcycle thief jailed

City of London Police is warning motorcyclists parking in the Square Mile to be vigilant after a thief who targeted the area was jailed.

Christopher Kebba N’Jie was jailed for two years for four offences including stealing a moped and attempting to steal a motorbike from parking bays in the City.

The 19-year-old, from the Isle of Dogs, was caught in 2010 during an operation that saw plain-clothes officers targeting motorcycle thieves operating in the Square Mile.

Det Ch Insp Dave Wood, who oversees the police response to motorcycle crime in the City, said: “N’Jie was a persistent thief, travelling from the Isle of Dogs to the City on a regular basis to steal motorcycles.

“His sentence reflects the premeditated nature of his crimes and the impact thefts like this have on the City’s motorcycling community.

“While this is a good result, we cannot and will not become complacent. Fifty-eight motorcycles with an estimated combined value of £284,000 have been stolen from City streets this year, compared to 35 during the same period last year.

“It is because of this increase that we’re currently running an operation concentrating on identifying and apprehending motorcycle thieves.

“This activity is already yielding results, with 15 suspected motorcycle thieves arrested or charged since January and several riders reunited with their stolen bikes.

“In the meantime I’d appeal to the motorcycling community and the public in general to continue to work with us to prevent further thefts by reporting anyone acting suspiciously around a motorcycle bay.”

N’Jie was arrested on 30 April 2010, when officers recognised a moped they knew to be stolen entering Steelyard Passage.

They watched as the moped stopped by a motorcycle bay and its rider and passenger began to examine parked motorbikes.

On approaching the bay, the officers heard a loud crack – the sound of a motorbike steering lock being forcibly broken – before moving to detain N’Jie and a second man on suspicion of theft.

N’Jie was subsequently charged with five offences. The second man, aged 18, also from the Isle of Dogs, was charged with seven offences but died before the trial began.

Appearing at the Old Bailey on 28 July 2011, N’Jie was sentenced to two years for theft and attempted theft. He was given a further year, to run concurrently, for two associated offences.