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Thieves target David Cameron's bicycle for the second time in a year
Paul Waugh and Danny Brierley6 May 2009
The Tory leader's treasured bicycle has been stolen again, this time from outside his home.
David Cameron was preparing for his usual Wednesday morning ride to the Commons ahead of Prime Minister's Questions when he discovered thieves had taken his £300 blue and silver Scott bike.
Aides said the bike was chained to railings outside Mr Cameron's home in north Kensington at 7am but was gone when he set out for the Commons an hour later.
Mr Cameron was able to use a bicycle belonging to his aide Des Swayne to ride to Westminster.
Mr Cameron may hope he is as lucky as when his bike and locked chain were lifted off a bollard last July in Portobello Road. A newspaper found it within days.
A friend of the Tory leader told the Standard: “He's had it a long time, certainly as long as he's been leader of the Opposition, and he's very attached to it.”Tory leader David Cameron has had his bicycle stolen again - this time from right outside his home in west London.
The keen cyclist saw his silver and black Scott chained to railings at 7.10am but an hour later it was gone, a spokeswoman said.
Not to be averted from his favoured form of transport, Mr Cameron borrowed another bicycle from his Parliamentary aide Desmond Swayne for the journey to Westminster.
The theft has been reported to police.
Mr Cameron last lost his bike when it was snatched from outside a supermarket near his home last summer.
He was later reunited with what he called the "priceless" two-wheeler after it was tracked down by a Sunday newspaper.
Mr Swayne and Mr Cameron usually ride to the Commons together on a Wednesday ahead of Prime Minister's Questions.
But on discovering his leader's predicament, he selflessly gave up his own bike to make sure he arrived in time for his pre-PMQs briefing.
Mr Swayne said: "His need was greater; the party would have expected nothing less.
"My only fear was that I had lent him a death trap and I might be held responsible for the by-election."
The MP for New Forest West, a Territorial Army officer, ran to the Commons instead.
On being reunited with his bicycle after the last theft, Mr Cameron said: "It's priceless to me. I've done over a thousand miles on it and three sponsored bike rides of 250 miles each so it's like an old friend."
On that occasion thieves simply lifted the bike over the three-foot bollard on Portobello Road Mr Cameron had chained it to while he shopped for food on his way home.
Later, after being pictured in newspapers wandering around scratching his head at the loss, he joked that he was considering introducing sharia law for bike thieves.
"I will consult the Mayor of London," he said referring to Boris Johnson who advocated the use of sharia law after having his own bicycle stolen from racks outside London's Euston station.
Around 110,000 bikes are reported stolen in England and Wales every year, but the real figure for cycle thefts is believed to be three times higher.
Mr Cameron's cycling habits have caused him embarrassment in the past.
Last year he was criticised by road safety charities and forced into an apology after being photographed riding the wrong way down one-way street, going the wrong way around a keep left bollard and riding across a toucan crossing for cyclists and pedestrians while the signal was red.
Previously it was revealed that he was followed on his "green-friendly" ride to work by a chauffeur-driven car carrying his briefcase, documents and shoes - a practice he has now stopped.
Reader views (29)
Come on. Its a stunt, and its pathetic. I'm sure he had room in his house for the bike? Can't value it that much can he? And maybe he should be more careful about locking it up. Idiot.
- Rebecca, London, 07/05/2009 08:54
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Things are going so well in UK now that thieves are targeting second hand bicycles? Probably no-one can afford the petrol so no point in stealing a car. Welcome to the prosperous, comfortable, at-ease-with-itself country that Brown has bequeathed to us and our debt-indentured children.
- Johnny, Beijing, China, 07/05/2009 01:18
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This is the man who wants to be the next Prime Minister and he can't even look after a £300 bike.
Fills you full of confidence, doesn't it?
- Andrew, London W1, 06/05/2009 21:09
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Kimberly, surely it is the "out of control driver" that is the problem, not David on a bike. David would be far safer if more motorists got on pedal bikes, rather than get in a car himself.
- Martin, London., 06/05/2009 18:33
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thats why Gordon brown does not cycle cause we would tell him on your BIKE
- Steven, TOTTENHAM, 06/05/2009 18:30
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Your lucky or well guarded Mr Cameron, most of us would have em nicked daily. Welcome to Blair/Browns Nu-world order. Raise your voice in anger and get call a racist by the political police. We need help on the streets not Westminster land.
- Mike, London, 06/05/2009 17:25
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Sarah Bradshaw "like every other 2-wheeled hooligan we have to put up with". Another excuse to have a pop at cyclists? Dont tar them all with the same brush. 4-wheel hooligans are far worse.
- Dom, London, 06/05/2009 17:24
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Ah! Never mind David! Next year you will be chauffeured around in an indestructible Jaguar (just like Prescott and Lady Meddlesum!!).
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 06/05/2009 17:06
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I think it so dangerous that our next Prime Minister is cycling, he could be easily be hit by an out of control driver. Why does he not have his own private car, which is much safer?
- Kimberley, London, 06/05/2009 16:46
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Looking forward to the shadow cabinet all having fixed wheel bikes shortly and hopefully some proper cycling gear!
- Huge16, London, 06/05/2009 16:43
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As a regular cyclist with a keen eye for a decent bike, I can reliably say that the bike Mr Cameron is riding in your picture is, ahem, how to put it nicely, "classic" or "period". The brake levers utilise over the top cables which haven't been installed on new bikes for about 20 years and the front bike light appears to be something a Victorian coal mining navvy would have used. His tyres also look seriously deflated.
Anyone stealing a bike like this was obviously not doing it for the resale value, more likely they knew whose bike it was and wanted to make the headlines...
- Mcw, London, 06/05/2009 16:34
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Oh god they might take some of his skin cells and clone Him.. then what would we do?
- Ron, London, 06/05/2009 16:03
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You can understand people wanting to take away Cameron's bicycle since he and the mayor have admitted to running red lights on it and cycling on pavements
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 06/05/2009 15:58
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welcome to daily life in britain dog eat dog poverty theiving muggings stabbing shooting drugs bike theft what on ever next the country will go bankrupt and polititions will claim horrendouse amounts of money for expenses.lol lol ho ho .
- Jim Fennessey, glasgow, 06/05/2009 15:49
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So how meny people are looking after his bike? Should have got a red one
- Tom, LONDON, 06/05/2009 15:30
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Are you a suffragette by any chance; Sarah?
- Mickyinlondon, london, 06/05/2009 15:20
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Oh Dear !
We can not say "ON YOUR BIKE."
How far behind are their drivers?
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD, 06/05/2009 15:11
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Michael Reeve, London, England; a good Prime Minister covers all the angles; imported cycle lock are rubbish; we should make British Steel ones; failing that; a wise Prime Minister would weld his bike to the railings just to be sure; but the simpleton just takes his bike indoors at night; well it works for me anyway.
Mark, London: Street crime was about the same under Thatcher’s Tories; but I will concede that even long before that; London was full of Footpads.
You would have thought by now; our Elite would have realised little facts like that.
Now we lock up money in Bank Safes; yet Bankers still rob them.
Don’t worry about David; I am sure he will get a nice new one on his expenses; whilst the thief might really need the bike to find good honest work.
- Mickyinlondon, london, 06/05/2009 15:03
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Methinks perhaps this is just a simple publicity stunt.
He’s not really that stupid, is he?
- Carl Barron, Christchurch, Dorset, 06/05/2009 14:07
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Is he going to hug the hoodie that nicked it??
- Andy, London, 06/05/2009 13:20
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Of course having his bike stolen isn't a reflection on his abilities. Riding one on the streets of London at all however shows he doesn't have the brains he was born with, like every other 2-wheeled hooligan we have to put up with. Though in his case I think it is purely attention seeking behaviour and the minute he becomes PM will be the minute he ditches the contraption.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 06/05/2009 13:15
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Good.haha.
- Kev, London-UK, 06/05/2009 13:15
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Time for bikes to have chips attached so that they can be traced.
- Tony Islander, Herts, 06/05/2009 12:48
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Saying that if he can't look after a bike he can't run the country is typical of what is wrong with our society. A man locks his bike up and has it stolen and people blame him instead of the low life that committed the crime. If anything it highlights the decline of the country since Labour has been in power.
- Michael Reeve, london, England, 06/05/2009 12:34
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Having his bike stolen is not a reflection of his possible competence at running the country, but of Labours absolute failure to deal with street crime in Britain. 12yrs ago we still had Police patrolling the streets and a semblance of order.
- Mark, London, 06/05/2009 12:31
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Boris can let him have a new one soon before they all get stolen.
- David., Chertsey.UK., 06/05/2009 12:24
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Stuff the bike Mr Cameron get a 4x4.
- Mr S.Port, London, 06/05/2009 12:14
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This man can't even look after a bicycle and some people think he should run the country.
- Mick, London, England, 06/05/2009 11:48
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If the man can't look after his bike; how is he going to look after the country?
- Mickyinlondon, london, 06/05/2009 11:44
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