Gang arrested in hunt for stolen Padgetts motorcycle collection

Police investigating the theft of new and vintage motorbikes worth an estimated £100,000 from Padgetts Motorcycles in Batley have made a series of arrests across Leeds.

Padgetts was targeted by thieves and 20 new and vintage motorcycles were stolen between December 20 and January 4. Some of the stolen bikes were part of the company’s founder Peter Padgetts’ personal collection, which included vehicles dating back to the 1950s.

On 27 January, a stolen Yamaha 100 was abandoned and recovered on The Nook, in Tingley. And on January 30, a QJ100 motorbike was recovered in the Belle Isle area of Leeds. Two other motocross bikes were also recovered at an address in Morley.

On February 29, police carried out four search warrants at addresses in Tingley, Thorpe, Middleton and Morley.

Six men were arrested during the operation, including a 25-year-old from Tingley, 28-year-old from Thorpe, 61-year-old from Morley and men aged 20, 24 and 29 from Middleton, in Leeds.

All have been released on bail pending further enquiries.