Biker caught riding stolen bike

A 20-year-old man today admitted riding a stolen bike after he was caught by police.

Christopher Burgess of St David’s was stopped by police on February 28 of last year in Hamilton Parish.

While checking Burgess’s details, the officers noticed the cycle was unlicensed and uninsured and issued tickets to Burgess.

The officers also noticed the bike had been hot wired and Burgess was then arrested. An investigation concluded the bike belonged to Brittany Dill who noticed it had been stolen on June 30, 2012.

She did not make a police report at the time.

In a police interview, Burgess admitted riding the bike and said he got it from someone named Cal who lives in the My Lord’s Bay area.

Addressing the court, Burgess said that night he was in the Bailey’s Bay area waiting for a ride when someone offered him a bike to ride down the street.

“I borrowed a bike knowing that I didn’t have a license since I didn’t have a ride. I was followed by police and was told that the bike I was riding was stolen.

“Now I find myself before the courts and I can honestly say the only think I am guilty of is trusting someone.”

Burgess also told the court he was planning to go away to school in September in Atlanta to study body mechanics for cars.

Questioning Burgess’s story, Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner asked him if he knew the bike was hot wired. The defendant said yes.

“I really want to believe this story in the all circumstances. You didn’t find it strange that the bike was hot wired?”

Burgess said 'no'.

Mr Warner adjourned the matter to March 11 for sentencing and ordered pre-sentencing reports. Burgess was granted $2,000 bail.