Thieves get on Tory leader's bike

Published on Thursday 24 July 2008 21:56

DAVID Cameron may have to put the brakes on his preferred mode of transport after he chained his bicycle to a small bollard – leaving it for thieves simply to lift clear.

The Tory leader had left his bike on London's Portobello Road when he went into a shop.

However, he had only locked it to a 2ft high bollard, giving thieves an easy opportunity to walk off with it.

Yesterday, Mr Cameron tried to make light of his loss. Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show near Builth Wells, he said he was upset about the loss of the bike he has had for six years.

"I'm contemplating introducing Sharia law for bicycle theft," he joked. "I will consult the mayor of London."

Mr Cameron, who has been on a health regime ever since unflattering pictures of him in swimming trunks appeared last summer, was only in the shop for five minutes.

He said he had reported the theft to the police but was not "holding his breath" for the bike's return. Although the theft took part in a fashionable part of London, less than a mile from his home, the area still has problems with crime and is particularly known for its drug problems.

Mr Cameron said: "I was cycling home and stopped to pick up some things for supper. I chained the bike through the wheel then put it around one of those bollard things."

He said he had reported the theft online by using the police's new website facility, "but I'm not expecting to get it back any time soon".

Mr Cameron asked passers-by if they had seen anything for about 15 minutes. He was pictured looking astonished, outside a betting shop, shortly after his bike was taken.

One witness said they had seen a group of children pick it up and run off with it. The shopkeeper, who asked not to be named said: "He was embarrassed and a bit annoyed.

"He was going round talking to people, asking them if they had seen it – most people didn't recognise him."

Mr Cameron also asked men outside a betting shop if they had seen anything, but he declined to have picture taken with one man who asked him.

The Tory leader appealed for the thief to return the bike, saying: "If anyone has seen it I would very much like it back. To me it was absolutely priceless."

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said: "Obviously David is quite hacked off by the theft of his bike, especially having locked it up. Unfortunately, these kinds of incidents affect everybody and he is just going to take it on the chin."

Although an avowed cyclist, the Tory leader was mocked about his supposedly eco-friendly mode of green transport when it transpired a chauffeur driven car followed him to the House of Commons, carrying his briefcase and suit.

Mr Cameron has since decided to ride alone.