Thugs steal youngsters' bikes

A group of thugs threatened two 12-year-old boys before stealing their bikes.

The victims were riding their BMX bikes down Mellor Street, towards the junction with Spotland Road, when they were threatened by a gang of teenagers. 

As the victims approached the junction they saw the gang, aged between 12 and 14, and one of them shouted at the boys to get off their bikes or he would hit them.

After the threat, the teenagers took the bikes off the boys and cycled back down Mellor Street towards the junction with Bury Road.

The incident occurred at around 6.45pm on Sunday 19 July. The victims were not injured.

All of the offenders were between 5ft 2” and 5ft 6” tall, one had ginger hair and freckles while the others had short dark hair. One of them wore a black, white and blue horizontal striped jumper and the others wore dark tracksuits.

One of the BMX bikes had a purple frame with Mongoose written down the structure while the other was silver and red with the words Apollo and MX20:3 on the frame with a light green lock chain around the seat.

Anyone who is offered a bike fitting the above descriptions or who witnessed the incident is asked to call the Rochdale volume crime team on 0161 856 8427.