A THIEF who stole bikes worth �3,700 from Huntingdon train station during a two-week period has been handed a two-year ASBO. Matthew Medlock, 23, who is from Huntingdon, but is currently of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to eight bicycle thefts and had

A THIEF who stole bikes worth �3,700 from Huntingdon train station during a two-week period has been handed a two-year ASBO.

Matthew Medlock, 23, who is from Huntingdon, but is currently of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to eight bicycle thefts and had two thefts and three attempted thefts taken into consideration.

He was sentenced to a four-month jail term, suspended for a year, at Peterborough Magistrates Court on Thursday (January 14).

He was also given an antisocial behaviour order, which bans him from entering any station bicycle storage area and from travelling anywhere in the UK and Wales with a cycle or bolt-cropping tools.

Medlock was caught trying to steal a bicycle on October 17 by CCTV operators.

A search of an address he was residing at in Huntingdon revealed five bikes that Medlock could not account for.

Upon further investigation of CCTV images, Medlock was charged with thefts and attempted thefts from Huntingdon railway station between October 2 and 17.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said CCTV images of Medlock in a distinctive black hooded jumper with red and white lines proved vital in bringing him to justice.

PC Tim Tubbs, investigating officer said: "Medlock initially denied the offences and claimed that he didn't know where he had been on the dates in question."

"However, as soon as we seized the jumper that matched the one in the CCTV footage he had little option other than to admit what he had been up to on the network."

Tony Holland, crime prevention manager at First Capital Connect said: "This is another great result from our joint operations with the BTP at our CCTV control centre.

"We continue to work together on operations to prevent crime on our trains and at stations and hopefully this case will serve further emphasise that message."

INFORMATION: Anyone who sees Medlock breaching the conditions of his ASBO should contact BTP on 0800 405040.