Men jailed for ram-raid bike burglary in Fleet
Duo sentenced after stealing bikes worth over £15,000
Two men have been sentenced to a total of three-and-a-half years in prison for their roles in a ram-raid burglary that targeted a bike shop in Fleet.
Kurtis Lamptey, 37, and Yanis Yaqeen, 33, executed the raid by driving Ford vans to Pedal Heaven on Fleet Road early on 1st April.
Yaqeen then reversed one van into the store's entrance to gain access, allowing them to steal eight bikes valued at over £15,000 and load them into the second van. During the break-in, 21 additional bikes were damaged.
Officers quickly responded and found the van with stolen bikes in Blackwater, while the other van was later recovered in Fleet. DNA evidence from both vehicles linked Lamptey and Yaqeen to the burglary.
Lamptey, from Swanfield Street, London, pleaded guilty to burglary other than dwelling and received a two-year sentence.
Yaqeen, from Pump House Crescent, Brentford, pleaded guilty to the same offence and driving dangerously, resulting in an 18-month sentence along with a three-year driving ban.
Both men were sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on 22nd October.
PC Iva Yotova, leading the investigation, said, “This was an audacious and planned attempt to try and steal bikes worth thousands of pounds. Thanks to the swift actions of our frontline officers, we were able to recover the stolen items quickly."