Call for action after masked man steals boy's bike

A call has been made for more police patrols and better CCTV in a city park after a 12-year-old boy had his bike stolen by a masked man.

City councillor Richard Strangward said the incident happened on 20 May in Bretton Park, Peterborough, and the boy "was that frightened he handed it over".

Strangward, who added that he had also heard of a separate, similar incident, said that "everybody should be able to enjoy the benefit this park offers without the worry they will be intimidated".

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said the robberies were being investigated.

Strangward said he had met the boy and his parents, who had described what happened.

"He was simply in the park, near the rugby club, when he was approached by a masked person in a balaclava, and he took his bike off him," he said.

"It was an adult and he approached a child, and [the boy] was that frightened he handed it over."

The Bretton ward councillor has written to the police, calling for "a clearer, visible police presence, with regular patrols".

The police spokesperson said: "We received a report on Wednesday 20 May that a 12-year-old boy had been grabbed and threatened if he didn't hand over his pedal bike... No arrests have been made and the investigation continues."

Strangward said other issues were also causing concern for park users.

"We do have an issue sometimes with anti-social behaviour – people nearly being hit with e-bikes and e-scooters and people riding off-road motorbikes," he said.

He has also written to the city council calling for an upgrade to the park's CCTV coverage.

The council has been asked for comment.

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