Operation Needle recovers stolen motorcycles and makes three arrests during TT Races

Officers working on Operation Needle have successfully recovered six motorcycles out of eight that were reported stolen during the TT Races when over 7000 motorcyclists travelled through Liverpool City Centre on their way to the Isle of Man.

A strong 75% recovery rate coupled with a total of three arrests involving thefts of motorcycles has meant the operation, which deployed extra officers around Liverpool City Centre, has achieved what it set out to do.

Five of the motorcycles belonged to TT bikers while three thefts were not connected to the TT Races but were successfully reunited with their owners within 24 hours of them being stolen.

Op Needle aimed to prevent theft of and from motorcycles, reassure motorcyclists and visitors to Liverpool City Centre, identify, disrupt and find those involved in the theft of and from motorcycles.  In total officers made three arrests during the two week period, from 27 May to 8 June, for either theft of or from a motor vehicle and seized five vehicles for a number of offences including them being used in connection to theft of motorcycles and Road Traffic Act offences, conducted 12 stop searches and issued two Traffic Offence Reports.

Sergeant Craig Winstanley, Op Needle, said: “Liverpool city centre has welcomed several thousand motorcyclists over the past two weeks as they travelled to the Isle of Man TT festival. It has been a pleasure for the team and me to meet and welcome visitors from right across Europe to our city. Unfortunately, some groups have seen this as an opportunity to target motorcyclists staying within the city centre. We have made several arrests and whilst the operation may have finished, we will continue to pursue lines of enquiry to identify those responsible for these thefts.”

There have been a number of bikes reunited with their owners during the TT Festival. Two German TT bikers were reunited with their motorcycles on 28 May, after they were taken from Queens Drive, Walton. Officers quickly recovered the bikes and sent them over to the Isle of Man via the ferry. One motorcycle stolen from the Albert Dock was also recovered quickly by officers and a French TT Tourist was taken to be reunited with his motorcycle in Kirkdale after it was tracked to Snowdrop Street.

Sergeant Winstanley said: “We’ve worked closely throughout the planning and delivery stages of the operation with our partners including Liverpool City Council, Liverpool BID Company, hotels and carpark providers, Liverpool Ports Police and the Isle of Man Constabulary to reassure visitors and disrupt offenders. Liverpool City Centre attracts visitors from across the world and that is why we are determined by working closely with our partners, to make it as safe as possible for those that live, work, socialise and visit here.”

Anyone with information on motorcycle theft is asked to speak to officers, message @MerPolCC, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.