‘Blatant and gloating’ criminals jailed after stealing up to £1 million-worth of motorbikes
The offences took place throughout 2025
Last updated 3 hours ago
Members of a Bristol gang, aged between 18 and 22, have been sentenced for a series of high-value motorcycle thefts and other violent offences.
Marshall Thomas, Brandon Carter, Cameron Stevens, and Sonnie Davies were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court after pleading guilty to multiple charges.
Their crimes spanned several months throughout 2025, during which between £600,000 and £1 million-worth of motorcycles and mopeds were stolen.
Marshall Thomas, formerly of Honey Garston Road, Hartcliffe, Bristol, received a 10-year sentence.
He was convicted of conspiracy to handle stolen goods, theft, kidnapping, firearm possession, drug-related charges, and other violent offences.
Brandon Carter, formerly of Greenditch Avenue, Bristol, was sentenced to eight years.
His convictions included handling stolen goods, theft, dangerous driving, and assaulting an emergency worker. He received a driving ban for six years.
Cameron Stevens, from Lampton Grove, Bristol, was sentenced to three years for handling stolen goods, theft, and grievous bodily harm.
Sonnie Davies, from Maidenhead Road, Bristol, also received a three-year sentence for actual bodily harm, false imprisonment, and breaching a suspended sentence.
The defendants targeted areas known for parking high-value motorcycles, conducting thefts in broad daylight.
They used stolen bikes to scout locations, protected by an arsenal of tools designed to bypass locks.
Despite interventions from the public, some individuals were threatened or attacked by the defendants.
The stolen bikes were transported to a safe location, where security systems were replaced before being sold, often promoted on social media.
Inspector Rich Fear commented on the audacity of the criminals: “Their actions were bad enough, but boasting on social media demonstrated a lack of remorse and awareness of the impact on their victims, many dependent on their motorcycles for livelihoods.”
The court also heard details of the kidnapping of a 15-year-old child, believed by the defendants to have stolen one of their motorcycles.
The child was detained and assaulted, causing significant physical and psychological damage.
Neighbourhood policing teams faced challenges in identifying and prosecuting a group responsible for these offences.
An incident in December, where Thomas and Stevens attempted to steal from a business in Bridgwater Road, was pivotal, enabling detectives to piece together the group’s criminal activities.
Victims were left feeling vulnerable with significant financial and emotional implications.
One individual recalled how the theft of his motorcycle drastically impacted his family. "At a difficult time financially, the theft was deeply destabilising,” he said.
In response, additional security devices were purchased. He continued, “Videos glorifying the crime online made the experience more violating.”
HRH Judge Blair remarked during sentencing: “The boldness of your actions, conducted in broad daylight and glorified with videos, demonstrated a lack of remorse while causing ruinous impacts to victims’ lives.”