We start them young in HB...

[Conquiztador]

3-year-old boy steals bike | 20th June 2009


"He came in quite quickly - stood there and looked around at some bikes,'' said Julie O'Regan of Marewa Epic Cycles.

"He grabbed the blue one, climbed on and just rode out the shop,'' Mrs O'Regan said.He could be Hawke's Bay's youngest bicycle thief.

He was too small to set off a door sensor.

And he was not tall enough to be spotted by any staff in the office at Marewa Epic Cycles.

"He'd only be 3 years old,'' Julie O'Regan from the cycle shop said yesterday as she and son Sean studied security camera footage of the toddling heist.

"Or a very small 4-year-old, but no more than that,'' she said.

The theft came to light on Thursday morning when Mrs O'Regan realised the little blue and white "Xero'' bicycle with trainer wheels, steering handle and blue basket on the front, was not in its usual spot.

"There was no sign of it so we started trawling back through the security camera footage.''

The O'Regans installed the system after a theft a few years ago and only last year it had helped police catch a woman who had walked out wheeling a child's bike.

Now they're hoping it will help lead to the city's youngest bicycle converter being brought to justice.

"We were absolutely stunned when we saw what happened,'' Mrs O'Regan said.

"He came in quite quickly _ stood there and looked around at some bikes _ grabbed the blue one, climbed on and just rode out of the shop.''

Or as Marewa Community Police officer Shane Gibson put it: "He rode off into the sunset.''

He added: "I've come across some young kids (offenders) but none this young.''

He and the O'Regans could only speculate at what had happened.

One school of thought was that the youngster might have been sent in by an adult to grab the bike. "He couldn't have been wandering around on his own at that age,'' Mrs O'Regan said.

Then she added, "We just want the bike back or for someone to pay for it. ``Someone must have come across it.''

The fair-haired youngster was wearing a two-tone blue/green hooded jacket, dark pants and white-toed sneakers.

Anyone with any information about the fast-pedalling heist is being asked to contact Mr Gibson at the Napier Police Station.

[Elysium]

Blue/green jacket. Hmmmm wonder what gang this guy is affiliated with?

[NDORFN]

This thread would've been worth reading if it was a motorbike.

[Skyryder]

Can't help but wonder where he got the idea from


Skyryder

[Retch]

Wow, he sure did it like a pro.

He should have chosen a red bike though, they go faster.

[sunhuntin]

what the hell kind of future does that kid have, stealing something like that at such a young age. most kids that young are nicking the lollies from pick n mix at the supermarket.

[Conquiztador]

what the hell kind of future does that kid have, stealing something like that at such a young age. most kids that young are nicking the lollies from pick n mix at the supermarket.

Well, at three you would have no idea re money and how you get stuff. There is a big chance that they boy wanted a bike for his bthday, but was told by parents: "Sorry son", so as an emergin entrepeneur he sorted it him self thinking, "There is this place that has bikes, how hard can it be to get one?"

He will go places (and I do not mean jail!!).

[p.dath]

This is beyond the mental capacity of a three year old. I bet an adult was involved and this was planned.

[p.dath]

My mother just told me when I was three I ran up to a Policeman, snatched the torch out of his hand, and took off running. Seems I really liked his torch.

[Squiggles]

He's just taking it for an extended testride

[Chanyce351]

I remember this kid he stayed across the street from us his mother Chevelle Jones told my mother she told her son Chanyce to jump on the bike and ride out to his nans truck waiting outside the bank in marewa.Poor dude lol SHAME ON THE MOTHER

[Jeff Sichoe]

You are mentally ill

[Banditbandit]

what the hell kind of future does that kid have, stealing something like that at such a young age. most kids that young are nicking the lollies from pick n mix at the supermarket.

Maybe he wanted a getaway vehicle for future heists?