Chapel-en-le-Frith man gutted after bike – worth over £3,000 - robbed at knifepoint

Kieren Harden, 19, was resting with pals on a bench in the town following a ride on the state-of-the-art bike - a Santa Cruz 5010 CC - when three men pulled up in a car.

One of them ordered the frightened teen to hand over the bike while brandishing a screwdriver while two others stood in the background clutching knives.

The Chapel teen’s mum Clare Harden told how Kieren’s friends advised him not to argue and give them the bike - as ‘they looked like they were prepared to use the knives’.

One of the men rode off on the bike while the other two drove off in the tiny black Citroen C2 car they arrived in.

It is understood the car was later seen heading towards Glossop with the large bike hanging out of its boot after the robbery on Tuesday last week at around 4.25pm at the junction of Crossings Road with Eccles Road.

Kieren’s upset mum Clare described how her son, a self-employed artificial turf layer, spent months saving up for the cycle - which is also his only mode of transport.

She said: “He was really shaken up at the time - but now he’s just gutted and hasn't been out since it was taken.

“Whenever he went out on that bike it would be washed, dried and oiled afterwards - it really was his pride and joy.

“You just don’t expect a robbery like this in our little town - it makes you feel like you can’t have anything nice.”

Kieren kept the bike in a rented lock-up not far from his home and so never had the expensive bike insured.

Sue Costen a friend of the family, has started an online crowdfunding campaign to get the bike-mad Chapel man a new mode of transport.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or saw the suspects in the area on the afternoon that it happened to phoned 101 - quoting reference number 20*609356.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.