28 September 2023 , 12:46
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A serial bike thief was nabbed after a victim's mum sat outside the criminal's home to host a three-day protest.
Taking up a spot outside David Seagar's house, a frustrated mum held a "Where's My Bike Dave?" placard outside the home of the 49-year-old prolific bike thief. His summer-spree of lifting bikes from unsuspecting victims sparked a furious protest from Fiona Bateman. Her loved on had been on the receiving end of a bike theft, and after little police action, Fiona took matters into her own hands. CCTV footage of the crime was available, and using a neighbour's camera, Fiona managed to catch the crime in action.
Fiona Bateman sat outside the home of David Saegar to protest his bike-thieving ways (SWNS)But when reporting the crime to police, she soon felt "not much was happening" over the bike thefts, and so decided to stage a protest. Seagar, of Witney, Oxfordshire, was identified multiple times through the help of social media users. Using this information, Fiona tracked him down to his home, where she sat and questioned his bike-pilfering ways. She was cheered on by those fed up with Seagar's spree of crime, and soon she was offered gifts of flowers and hot chocolate.
Members of the Spotted Witney Facebook group were enamoured with Fiona's courageous protest, which has since seen the community rally behind her. Seagar has since been convicted at Oxford Crown Court, with two years imprisonment, suspended for two years. There is also an order out for him to complete a drug rehabilitation scheme and a "thinking skills" programme, the Telegraph reported.
Ms Bateman, though, was disappointed to hear Seagar had avoided time behind bars for his litany of bike thefts. She said: "It’s just frustrating that he got a slap on the wrist. Where are the bikes? How about buying my son a new bike? We can’t afford the four, five, six hundred pounds to replace it. He stole so my son has to now walk. But that’s OK, just as long as Dave doesn’t feel aggrieved." Footage was shown of the theft, though Seager denied it was him, OxfordMail reported.
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It is believed Seagar had used bolt cutters to slice through locks keeping the bicycles in place before making off with several of the vehicles. The prices of the bikes ranged from a couple hundred pounds to a particularly valuable e-bike, which is worth more than £2,000. One bicycle stolen from Witney leisure centre was later found dumped in the defendant's garden, the court heard. Passages of a report read out by the judge noted Seagar had shown a "sense of entitlement" when stealing bikes, which he did to get himself from A to B.