Apple tracker on my stolen motorbike led me to a crack house

A MAN used an Apple AirTag to track down his stolen motorbike and bravely took it back from a suspected drug den.

Richard Bagshaw, 47, hid the tiny device in his 1100cc motorbike’s seat as a precaution.

And when his beloved bike vanished, he used his iPhone to locate it in Guisborough – 10 miles from his Liverton home.

He discovered his bike covered with a sheet at the back of a house and waited for the police to arrive.

Richard said the resident didn’t answer police questions but didn’t stop the bike from being returned.

H e explained: “It was outside in the garden locked up and they came along at night and broke the lock.

“They rolled off on it and must have got it started.

“I’d had the AirTag on there since September and had it hidden in the bike otherwise people will find it if it’s on the outside.

“The thieves wouldn’t have been able to sell it – they’d strip it down for parts as it wasn’t desirable enough.

“It’s very hard to sell a stolen bike now in full. It’s too hot to handle.

“To be honest, my biggest worry was that if one of those lads had hurt himself on that bike, I’d have never forgiven myself.

“A little millimetre on the throttle and you’re dead.”

Richard, who realised his bike was gone last April, says the police first asked him to ride the bike away, but he said no because the ignition was broken and the bike had already been reported stolen.

A recovery truck finally picked up the bike and Richard got his beloved vehicle from the police yard.

He says they found the bike in a house that turned out to be a place where people were selling crack cocaine and using kids as young as 12. A few months after Richard’s scary experience, Cleveland Police said on Facebook that they’d raided the house and the flat was shut down for three months because of bad behaviour.

The house reportedly had machetes, combat knives and rifles and was being used “in a suspected crack cocaine dealing operation” with children as young as 12 being used for drug crimes.

Richard said: “It was obvious what was going on in the house.”

“I was sat there with my eyes on the bike, watching the comings and goings in the house and it was clear they were dealing from the house.”

Cleveland Police’s Facebook post continued: “The 50-yearold female tenant has been evicted from the house after magistrates agreed to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council’s closure order application recently.

“The council’s anti-social behaviour officers started logging reports of anti-social behaviour related to drug dealing in recent months which included suspected drug dealing at all hours, people banging on the windows for deals, reports of knives and a rifle being moved in and out of the property, children being used for suspected drug deals and stolen vehicles and property at the address.

“A number of police intelligence reports in June – including one which indicated children as young as 12 were being used for drug crimes – led to a raid.

“In total more than 25 incidents and police intelligence reports relating to the property were made.”

Cleveland Police Inspector Neil Deluce said: “Drug dealing and the almost inevitable associated other crime and antisocial behaviour can cause untold misery to the law-abiding majority in our communities, and we simply will not tolerate this behaviour.”

“We welcome information and evidence from those members of the community who tell us what is happening and who is involved and we use the intelligence provided to take enforcement action.”

OVER 5,000 UK bank branches have shut since 2015, leaving many communities without vital banking and cash services. Among those affected are residents of the Norfolk village of Great Massingham. When it was announced that all three banks in the nearby small town of Fakenham were to disappear in 2023, many feared they would be left “stranded”. The nearest bank is now 13 miles away in King’s Lynn and a single hourly bus journey is the only means of transport for some. But essential banking services provided by the Post Office have provided a lifeline for residents and businesses in the village. Postmaster Mark Eldridge says, “So many people still use cash, and not everyone is tech savvy or wants to use banking apps. They like coming into the Post Office to pay cash in or take it out. “This is more than just a Post Office. It’s a community hub. We’ve become an increasingly vital support for residents and local businesses, giving them crucial banking services on their doorstep.” With more than 11,500 branches, Post Office is the biggest retail network in the UK, and 99.7% of the population is located within three miles of a Post Office branch. Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office. You can also take out the exact amount of cash you need – right down to the penny. And with branches often open much longer than bank branches, the service is available when customers need it most.