Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Justice to detail the proportion of bicycle theft cases that resulted in (i) a charge; (ii) a caution; and (iii) no further action, in each of the last five years.
Minister of Justice: The recording of information on persons charged because of offences concerning bicycle theft reported to the police is a matter for the Chief Constable. You may, therefore, wish to direct any further query relating to persons charged because of offences related to bicycle theft recorded to the PSNI.
The PSNI publish statistics on police recorded crime. The most recent annual bulletin relation to the period to end 2024/25. Information from that bulletin, relating to recorded crimes by police relating to theft or unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle has been provided in the following table.
Recorded crimes by police relating to theft or unauthorised taking of a pedal cycle, 2020/21 to 2024/25
| Year | Recorded offences |
| 2020/21 | 731 |
| 2021/22 | 699 |
| 2022/23 | 762 |
| 2023/24 | 639 |
| 2024/25 | 592 |
Source: PSNI
The Department holds information in relation to prosecutions and convictions at courts and in relation to cases where an out of court diversionary disposal was administered because of an offence where the offence description specified the theft or unlawful taking of a cycle. Figures for these have been provided in the following table.
Prosecutions, convictions and diversions for theft or taking of cycle offences, 2021 – 2025
| Year | Prosecutions | Convictions | Diversions |
| 2021 | 15 | 13 | * |
| 2022 | 19 | 12 | * |
| 2023 | 21 | 12 | * |
| 2024 | 15 | 13 | 4 |
| 2025 | 14 | 13 | 5 |
Note:
1. Figures relate to initial disposals at courts. Appeals are not included.
2. Figures relate to cases where there was a prosecution or conviction at court, or an out of court diversionary disposal, for at least one offence of theft of cycle or taking a cycle without authority.
3. Figures relate to the year a case was dealt with. This may be different from the year in which an offence occurred.
4. Figures for 2025 are provisional.
*means a figure of less than 3 has been treated under rules of disclosure.
ENDS
Your MLA 