Greater Manchester Police return stolen motorcycle to German owner after it was found in Salford

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Stolen Vehicle Examination Unit (SVEU) went above and beyond to ensure a stolen motorcycle was returned to its owner.

The owner of the motorbike is a German national who while visiting Edinburgh five years ago, had it stolen – much to his heartbreak.

At the end of the trip he had to return across the channel empty handed and out of pocket.

Then, in September 2023 the vehicle popped up when GMP officers responded to a report of males making off from a scene after failing to stop on Bolton Road, Salford, in the early afternoon of the 21st.

The bike sustained minor damage after colliding with a tree.

It was recovered but with no physical ID or check on the Police National Computer (PNC), as well as false details, the investigative instincts of the vehicle examiners began tingling.

After extensive enquiries the bike was soon identified as stolen, and with assistance from specialist officers in Europe, the bike was traced to being made in Germany.

GMP contacted Interpol, who contacted German authorities, and later were able to speak to the victim who provided the necessary details – which prevented it from being crushed.

After sheer perseverance, the result showcases the vital work carried out by experienced employees who have a vast amount of knowledge of all makes and models of vehicles.

On reuniting the motorcycle and revealing its true identity Vehicle Examiner Dave Murphy, from GMP’s Stolen Vehicle Examination Unit, said: “This was pure determination and a team effort to find the rightful owner.

“With the UK out of the European Union now direct access to systems from forces in other countries has meant it has been harder for us to track and trace, but with other inventive ways of working and the help of our recovery agents, Mansfield, we were able to return the motorbike to the rider.

“Being a rider myself it is a tight-knit and supportive community which means we have taken great pleasure in giving this story a happy ending as we didn’t want it to be crushed and unclaimed despite being stolen and then used in crime.

“Our work as vehicles examiners often goes unnoticed, but we know our skills, knowledge and expertise is crucial in finding evidence to link vehicles to crime but also back to victims.

“It was a nice surprise for all to receive and give the call to the victim after he thought he would never see his bike again and moving on with his life years ago.”

The Stolen Vehicle Examination Unit is part of the Specialist Operations, Roads Policing Unit based in Eccles, and is home to a number of police staff who as a unit have over 140 years’ combined experience in the motor industry.

Stolen cars and finding those responsible remains a GMP force priority, with operations running across all districts in Greater Manchester.

Anyone with information about car thefts or suspicious activity taking place at premises, can report it via GMP’s LiveChat at www.gmp.police.uk.