UK Man Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Bikes, Stash Captured By Google Earth

The police in Oxford have arrested a man who suspected to have stolen more than 500 bicycles. The stash of bikes was recovered following a police raid on his premises last week. The 54-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and possession of criminal property. The police are in the process of identifying the ownership of the bicycles found from the man's property. Thames Valley Police told the BBC that a warrant was issued against the man based on the investigation.

"A 54-year-old man from Oxford has been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and possession of criminal property following the execution of a warrant in Littlemore," the Thames Valley Police said in a statement.

The Daily Mail reported that the “mountain of 500 bikes” in the back garden of man's property was visible from a Google Earth satellite.

The publication spoke to locals in the area, who said that the entire area has been infested with rats because of the haul. The angry neighbours claimed the stash had been increasing by the week.

A number of complaints were filed against the man, who was later released under investigation.

“It's been going on for about five years,” Colleen Butler, who has been living in the area for 32 years, told The Daily Mail. She added that the man arrested for thefts moved there a decade ago.

After the incident was reported and police released the photos of the bicycles, social media users mocked the situation.

“What was he doing with all of those bikes?" said a user on Twitter. “Cracks me up no one spotted it sooner," added another.

Google services like Maps have been used earlier by people for difference purposes, who found photos which are normally not visible by the naked eye.