A 70-year-old electric bike rider was attacked and pepper-sprayed by two thieves on a motorbike in Solihull, who then made off with his bicycle. The incident occurred on Old Damson Lane, near the Jaguar Land Rover plant, at around 12:30 PM on Sunday, May 3. According to the victim's daughter, who requested anonymity, two men approached her father on a motorbike. The pillion passenger sprayed the victim with what is believed to be pepper spray before stealing his blue Cube e-bike and cycling away.
Details of the attack
The victim's daughter described the suspects as a mixed-race man driving the motorbike, which had a silver tank, and a white man as the pillion passenger who carried out the attack. CCTV footage from a nearby kennel captured the suspects leaving Old Damson Lane and turning left onto Damson Parkway, traveling the wrong way on the dual carriageway. Police arrived within 45 minutes and were praised by the family for their response. The daughter also reported a similar e-bike theft involving a motorbike with a silver tank on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4.
Impact on the victim
The victim's daughter expressed outrage at the incident, highlighting that her father has been caring for her mother, who is recovering from cancer, for the past 18 months. She stated, "He used the bike for maintaining his own health physically and mentally. It's appalling what happened to him. He worked all his life since he was 15 and should be enjoying retirement." The victim's brother also took to Facebook to appeal for information, describing his brother as "one of the finest people you could ever meet" and offering a substantial reward for the positive identification of the suspects.
Police investigation
A West Midlands Police spokesperson confirmed: "We are investigating after a bike was stolen from a man on Old Damson Lane, Solihull, at just before 1 PM on Sunday, May 3. Officers understand a substance was also sprayed at the man before two men took the bike and headed in the direction of Gable Close." Anyone with information is urged to contact investigators on 101 or via Live Chat, quoting crime reference 20/235687/26.
