York railway station bike thief sentenced

A York man has been sentenced after police caught him trying to steal a multi-tool from a branch of Halfords - just two days after officers had taken a set of Allen keys, wire cutters and bolt croppers off him at the city's railway station.

It was the second time this year that Mark Douglas Taylor, aged 40, had been stopped by police in or near the city's railway station this year, reports York Press.

Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, told York Magistrates' Court that British Transport Police officers had seen Taylor "acting furtively” at bike racks at platform 1 of the railway station on the evening of 4 June this year.

Taylor was said to have told police: “It is pretty obvious what I was going to do.”

Police confiscated his equipment, but he was subsequently found trying to steal a multi-tool worth £29.99 from the Foss Islands Road branch of Halfords.

Earlier this year, he had admitted stealing a bike in Station Road and going equipped to steal.

Following the latest incident, he admitted a fresh count of going equipped to steal and one of being in possession of valium.

He was sentenced to 120 hours' unpaid work and 10 days of  rehabilitative activities and was told to pay costs of  £85 prosecution costs and an £85 statutory surcharge.

The court was told that Taylor had returned to taking drugs and stealing property after the break-up of a relationship and losing his job.