Thief who stole bikes worth thousands of pounds in Worthing jailed
He also stole alcohol, tobacco and goods from shops in Brighton
Last updated 22nd Nov 2022
A prolific thief has been jailed for a year after stealing bikes worth thousands of pounds in Worthing.
Sussex Police has shared footage of the moment Dean Haggerty was caught using bolt cutters outside Splashpoint Leisure Centre in broad daylight earlier this year.
The 48-year-old, of Twyfold Gardens, Salvington, was also convicted of multiple thefts across Worthing and Brighton.
He stole hundreds of pounds worth of alcohol, tobacco and goods from various shops throughout the Summer.
Inspector Sharon Sawyer, of the Adur and Worthing Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), said: “Haggerty has been a blight on the community for many, many months, and this is evidenced by his persistent offending.
“We work with the public, local authorities and the business community to prevent and detect incidents of theft, and I’d like to personally thank everyone who has assisted in our investigation to bring Haggerty to justice.
“It was imperative that we gathered as much evidence as possible – including statements from victims and witnesses, and clear CCTV footage – to present a case to the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Bike thefts have been a particular issue in Worthing this past year, and this case provides some reassurance that one of those thieves has been locked up.
“We are mindful of the emotional and financial impact of these offences on victims, and I would encourage any victims or witnesses of crimes to continue to report it to us.
“Our officers regularly patrol the town, including the areas identified as theft ‘hot spots’, and the more intelligence we can build up, the more likely we are to catch criminals and hopefully return the stolen bikes to their rightful owners – especially if they are logged with Bike Register.”
The Adur and Worthing NPT also hold regular bike marking sessions alongside Neighbourhood Watch, and further sessions will be held in the New Year.