Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 29977Theft (bicycles) · Co. Dublin · 21 Sep 2021

Man charged over bicycle thefts in Crumlin, Dublin

A man in his early 50s was arrested in Crumlin, Dublin, on 21 September 2021 after attending a meeting with a woman whose stolen bicycle he was selling on an online marketplace. The woman, accompanied by gardaí, identified the bicycle as hers, and the man was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, as part of Operation Soteria. A follow-up search of a property in Dublin 8 recovered 15 further bicycles and an angle grinder, all believed to be stolen, bringing the total to 16 bicycles valued at approximately €7,000. The man has since been charged in relation to the seizure, and gardaí are working to identify the rightful owners of the recovered items.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Charged21 Sep
    4 reports
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man in his early 50s (reported as in his 50s in some accounts) was arrested in Crumlin after attending a meeting with a woman who posed as a buyer for her stolen bicycle advertised on an online selling site.
  • A total of 16 pedal cycles and an angle grinder were seized, all believed to be stolen, with an estimated value of approximately €7,000.
Where
The arrest took place in Crumlin, Dublin, and a follow-up search was conducted at a property in Dublin 8.
When
The arrest took place at approximately 5:30pm on 21 September 2021.
Investigation
  • The arrest was carried out as part of Operation Soteria, involving a planned meeting with the seller of a stolen pedal cycle.
  • The man was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Crumlin Garda station.
Charges
The man has been charged in relation to the seizure.
Other details
Gardaí at Crumlin are working to identify the rightful owners of the pedal cycles, and unclaimed items will be circulated via media in the coming weeks.
41 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man in his early 50s was arrested by Gardaí in Crumlin (garda.ie)
  • whatA total of 16 pedal cycles were seized (garda.ie)
  • whatThe stolen pedal cycle had been placed for sale on an online selling site (garda.ie)
  • whatThe man attended the scene with the stolen pedal cycle (garda.ie)
  • whatThe owner of the pedal cycle identified her pedal cycle at the scene (garda.ie)
  • what15 pedal cycles were recovered in the follow-up search (garda.ie)
  • whatAll recovered items were believed to be stolen (garda.ie)
  • whatAn angle grinder was also recovered (garda.ie)
  • whatThe estimated value of the pedal cycles is in the region of €7,000 (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • what16 bicycles with an estimated value of €7,000 were seized. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe man attended the scene with the stolen bicycle, which its owner identified. (rte.ie)
  • whatA follow-up search of a property in Dublin 8 recovered a further 15 bicycles and an angle grinder, all believed to be stolen. (rte.ie)
  • whatA man suspected of involvement in bicycle thefts was arrested and 16 bicycles were seized. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman posed as a potential buyer and arranged to meet the man selling the bicycle. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman was accompanied to the meeting by gardaí without the seller knowing. (irishtimes.com)
  • what15 other bicycles were found in a follow-up search at a property linked to the suspect. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe bicycles were valued by gardaí at about €7,000. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatAn angle grinder power tool was also confiscated. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe seller was offering a stolen pedal cycle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe owner of the bike identified it as hers. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatA follow-up search of a property in Dublin 8 recovered 15 pedal cycles and an angle grinder. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAll 15 recovered pedal cycles are believed to be stolen. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe man was conveyed to Crumlin Garda station (garda.ie)
  • whereA follow-up search was conducted at a property in Dublin 8 (garda.ie)
  • whereThe suspect was taken to Crumlin Garda station. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe arrest took place at approximately 5.30pm on 21 September 2021 (garda.ie)
  • whenThe arrest operation took place at about 5.30pm in Crumlin on Tuesday. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe arrest was carried out as part of Operation Soteria (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe operation involved a planned arrangement to meet a seller of a stolen pedal cycle (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe man was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 (garda.ie, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí at Crumlin will endeavour to identify the rightful owners of the pedal cycles (garda.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
  • investigationThe arrest followed a planned operation involving a meeting with the seller of a stolen bike advertised online. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are working to identify the rightful owners of the stolen bikes. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe man was arrested under Operation Soteria. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe suspect was detained for questioning under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationOfficers from the Crumlin unit set up a meeting with a seller from an online site. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe man was arrested and brought to Crumlin Garda station. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe man has been charged in relation to the seizure (garda.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHe was taken to Crumlin Garda Station and later charged in relation to the seizure. (rte.ie)
  • otherItems not returned to owners will be circulated via media in the coming weeks (garda.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Sep2021
    Chargedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Gardai make arrest after catching bike thief in online trap

    Details of the online trap, the recovery of 16 bikes and an angle grinder, the Section 4 detention, and the charging of the suspect.

    suspect, malevictim, female
  2. 22 Sep2021
    Chargedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Gardaí and victim combine to catch suspect in Dublin bicycle thefts

    Provides operational details of the arrest (the woman posed as a buyer and was accompanied by gardaí), names the operation as Soteria, confirms the man was charged, and notes gardaí will identify rightful owners of the seized bicycles.

    victim, femalesuspect, 50s, male
  3. 22 Sep2021
    Chargedrte.ie, its first report
    Man arrested after 16 stolen bikes recovered

    Confirms the man was charged at Crumlin Garda Station and that Gardaí are working to identify the rightful owners of the 16 recovered bicycles.

    suspect, early 50s, malevictim
  4. 21 Sep2021
    Chargedgarda.ie, first report
    Arrest and Recovery of 16 Pedal Cycles, Crumlin. 21st September, 2021.

    Official Garda press release confirming the arrest, detention under Section 4, the follow-up search in Dublin 8, the charging of the man, and the plan to identify owners and circulate unclaimed items via media.

    suspect, early 50s, malevictim, female