A serial bike thief who was the subject of a suspended prison sentence for stealing bikes at Gatwick Airport has been sent to jail after he was caught on CCTV there taking another bicycle.
Sussex Police say that Max Huggett, aged 30, was identified after he was filmed looking at bikes that had been locked up in a bike shed close to the airport’s South Terminal at around 5.45pm on 23 January this year.
When the bike’s owner returned to where they had parked it, they discovered it had been taken.
As the UK’s second busiest airport, Gatwick is unsurprisingly protected by, among other things, and extensive network of CCTV cameras.
Officers from Sussex Police’s Divisional Intelligence Unit at Gatwick succeeded in identifying Huggett – previously of Colman Way, Redhill, Surrey, but whose address is now given as HM Prison Lewes – because he had previously been handed a suspended sentence due to similar thefts at the airport.
A search of Huggett’s home resulted in clothing being discovered that matched the outfit he was wearing in the CCTV footage and detectives from Gatwick CID then built the case against him.
On 4 March, Huggett pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court to theft of a pedal cycle as well as breaching the terms of his suspended sentence, and was jailed for a total of 15 months.
In a statement released by Sussex Police, investigating officers PC Michelle Robinson and Detective Sergeant Ian Warncken said: “Huggett has been a repeat offender at Gatwick Airport where he has stolen bicycles and property.
“It causes disruption to victims who have worked their shift at the airport and return to find their property has been stolen.
“This case demonstrates that we will work with our partners to identify and catch offenders and stop them causing harm to other victims,” they added.
4 thoughts on “Repeat offender who stole bike at Gatwick Airport in full view of CCTV cameras jailed”
15 months for nicking a bike.
15 months for nicking a bike. no time (typically) for killing a cyclist. While I find bike theft contemptible, I’d rather have a justice system that valued our lives ahead of our property.
lesterama wrote:
you have to wonder if stealing a bike in front of CCTV, ina location where the offender had been caught before was an attempt to get sent to prison by someon who can’t pay rent and will be out on the street soon.
Around 7 months I suppose.
Around 7 months I suppose.
Nice that Gatwick Airport takes cycle theft seriously enough to have someone review the footage.
I reckon it’s a habit he’s
I reckon it’s a habit he’s fallen into, and doesn’t know what else to do with his time. I hope he’s in prison long enough to be rehabilitated. Problem is, these short sentences often aren’t long enough for offenders to be set on a different path.