Railway Station Bike Thief Jailed

A thief who stole bikes worth over £1,000 from Market Harborough railway station has been jailed and ordered to pay compensation to his five victims.

Richard Marlow, 41, stole four cycles from a temporary storage area outside the front of the station during July, August and September last year.

He also stole one from the railway station in Kettering last October.

Marlow, of Havelock Street, Kettering, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft at Leicester Magistrates, where he has jailed for 20 weeks – four weeks for each theft – and told he must pay compensation to the owners of the bikes he stole.

The temporary cycle parking no longer in use

Meanwhile, a new secure cycle hub has been officially opened at Market Harborough railway station this week.

The facility, located adjacent to Rockingham Road, has cost £300,000 and was jointly funded by East Midlands Railway, the Department of Transport and Harborough District Council.

It provides space for 100 cycles, is covered by CCTV and accessible by a fob.

Lisa Angus, Transition and Projects Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “We are delighted to open these new facilities and help encourage more rail users to get to the station by cycling.

“The cycle hub will provide users piece of mind that while they are on our services and away from their bike, it is safe and sheltered from the Great British weather ready for them to return.

“We would like to thank all our partners who helped support this project. It will undoubtedly have a positive environmental and health impact on the local community of Market Harborough, and we look forward to seeing our passengers using it.”

The new cycle hub