Great Western Coffee Shop

A man who fed his gambling addiction by stealing bicycles from railway stations across the country has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Muharrem Sener, of Roman Road in Bethnal Green, London, pleaded guilty to 28 thefts between August 2008 and June 2009 at Southwark Crown Court. He also asked for 55 similar offences to be considered.

Sener, 26, spent more than a year touring Surrey, Sussex and the South East wider targeting commuter's bikes.

The court heard how he carried a pair of bolt cutters that he used to chop through security chains before riding off with the bikes. He then went back to London to sell them on for a fraction of their value.

The court heard he was stealing bikes since at least 2003 and was repeatedly arrested, resulting in conditional discharges and community orders.

Prosecutor Charles John-Jules said although Sener was caught committing crime repeatedly on CCTV he somehow managed to remain free.

Judge John Price told Sener: "You were caught on camera so many times it is surprising it took so long to arrest you. The courts have really done everything but send you to prison to try and stop you doing this and it hasn't worked."