Colchester thief uses bolt cutters to steal £600 bike

Ela Dynak-Prostak, who cycles to her cleaning job on Whitehall industrial estate seven days a week, had been working her usual shift on Tuesday when a thief used bolt cutters to break the lock of her Sirrus 2.0

CCTV footage from a nearby building shows the thief approach the fence outside Towmate Trailers and attempt to break the bike lock.

Expensive - the bike cost £600 and was locked using a chain (Image: Ela Dynak-Prostak)

He then climbs over a nearby fence and snaps the lock chain before walking away with Mrs Dynak-Prostak’s bicycle at about 7pm.

Mrs Dynak-Prostak, who lives in Highwoods, said she had taken out a loan to buy the bike in February, adding it was the second one she had stolen from her in the space of a year.

She said: “Last year, I had a similar situation, but it was a really old bike, but I took a loan for this bike and it’s just so sad.

“When he did it, it was quite bright but he didn’t really mind – he just jumped over the fence and it didn’t really bother him.

“I work Monday to Sunday, and every day I use the bike – that’s why I needed a proper one.

“I locked it with a proper chain, so I thought it was quite safe.”

The following day, Mrs Dynak-Prostak, 39, found the broken bike lock nearby as she made her way to start her shift.

She continued: “I’m scared, to be honest – every week, I see some man who makes me feel scared.

Caught - the thief has been caught on CCTV, but has not been identified yet (Image: Public)

“I feel very, very unsafe – I have lived in Colchester for 12 years and this has never happened before.

“This guy clearly didn’t feel scared – he looked quite confident when he did it.

“The police really should do something, because there are a lot of people I see every day on Facebook who share very similar posts when someone has lost a bike or someone has found a stolen bike.

“It’s very scary because I don’t feel safe at the moment.”