A prolific bike thief who stole bikes from public spaces and from shops specialising in bikes across London has been jailed.

Francis Graham, 26 (24.01.94) of Hunter Street, WC1 was charged on Thursday, 24 September with five counts of cycle theft, five counts of commercial burglary and one count of theft from a motor vehicle.

One of these thefts occurred right here in Teddington on Church Street.

Graham was sent to prison for two years yesterday at the Inner London Crown Court.

His crimes included:

Theft from motor vehicle at Baches Street, Hackney on 29 October 2019;

- Theft of pedal cycle from a shop at Richmond Road, Kingston on 6 December 2019;

- Commercial burglary at Shepherds Bush Road, W6 on 13 December 2019;

- Commercial burglary at Church Road, Teddington on 30 January;

- Commercial burglary at Woods Road, SE15, on 10 July;

- Theft of pedal cycle at Cheapside, EC2 on 23 September.

He was sentenced as follows:

- Five counts of burglary: Sentenced to 12 months for each count, to run concurrent;

- One count of breach of suspended sentence: Four months' imprisonment, to run consecutive to the other charges.

HHJ Davies, said during sentencing: "You were a one man crime wave stealing in a sophisticated way. You tailgated residents into areas to which you didn't have access, removing decent locks and taking bicycles. What happened afterwards remains a mystery.

"How much you got for them and who benefits from them, where they are now remains a mystery.

"It causes upset and stress to lose a bicycle, taking into account the cost of them. They are expensive. These were not toys, they were used for commuting.

One was stolen from a hospital worker from a secure compound. These offences are aggravated by your previous convictions, which are many. Your previous convictions are around theft of bicycles.

"You are a professional bike thief. In my judgement these offences are so serious that only a custodial sentence is justified."

Graham was identified and arrested as a result of a joint investigation by the Met and City of London Police.

During police interview Graham was shown a CCTV image of a man stealing a pedal cycle. Although he initially denied that he was the man in the footage, when presented with overwhelming additional CCTV and DNA evidence spanning a variety of incidents, he admitted the offences.

PC Aleksander Hancock, of the Met's South West Burglary and Robbery Investigation Team, said: "For many people living and working in London, cycling is their only form of transport.

"The inconvenience and upset caused by Graham in helping himself to the property of so many victims simply cannot be measured.

"The lasting effects of becoming a victim of theft often last far beyond the replacement of the stolen items. Graham will have time to reflect on this as he serves his sentence."