Prolific bike thief jailed for more than four years and banned from Cambridge for a decade

A prolific bicycle thief has been jailed for more than four years and banned from Cambridge for a decade after breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) six times.

Burak Iscioglu, 39, of Bethnal Green, East London, was given the order in January 2024.

It prohibited him from:
- entering any bicycle storage area or cycle rack anywhere within England or Wales;
- possessing a bicycle, bicycle part or bicycle accessory without the owners’ consent; and
- being in possession of any wire cutters, bolt cutters, angle grinders, hammers, pliers, spanners, Allen keys, or screwdrivers whilst in any public place.

But between 5 August and 9 November last year, Iscioglu was caught on CCTV six times stealing, or attempting to steal, a bicycle or parts of a bicycle in locations across Cambridge.

Each time, he was arrested for the thefts and for breaching his CBO.

In October, he was also caught on CCTV stealing an electric scooter and driving off on it, before he was apprehended by officers and arrested.

Then on 9 November, he entered a house and stole unopened parcels from inside the door.

He was again stopped by officers on 5 December after being seen attempting to steal a bicycle in Cambridge.

This time, when he was arrested he was found to be in possession of an array of items, including two pairs of wire cutters, a multi-tool and two unopened parcels that weren’t addressed to him.

Iscioglu was sentenced to four years and five months in prison at Cambridge Crow nCourt on Wednesday (16 April) after admitting to two counts of theft, one count of going equipped for theft, two counts of theft of mail, two counts of theft of a pedal cycle, six counts of breaching a CBO, one count of theft of conveyance and one count of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.

A new CBO bans him from Cambridge for 10 years.

PC Kyran Coates, who investigated, said: “Iscioglu shows a clear disregard for the law and continued to offend, despite his CBO.

“CBOs form part of a wider crime prevention strategy and those who receive them, like Iscioglu, are closely monitored to ensure further offences are swiftly dealt with.

“I hope this sentence shows Iscioglu that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in Cambridgeshire.”

Anyone with information about Iscioglu breaching his CBO should contact police via their webchat service or online forms. Those without internet access should call 101.