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Cameron's bike stolen as he shops

Conservative leader David Cameron says his bicycle was stolen after he left it locked outside a supermarket while he shopped near his home in west London.

He was at a Tesco branch on Portobello Road when the bike - which he joked was "an old friend" - disappeared.

"Someone must have picked it up and walked off with it," he said.
"If anyone has seen this bicycle, I would like it back," he added. "I've reported it online... but I'm not holding my breath."
Mr Cameron said he had been "picking up a few bits of salad" when the theft occurred at about 1800 BST on Wednesday.

His spokeswoman added the Tory leader was "annoyed" and "pretty hacked off" at what had happened.

High-profile bicycle

Tom Bogdanovich of the London Cycling Campaign said he hoped the theft would not discourage Mr Cameron from using his bike.
The case highlighted the need for a greater number of secure cycle stands in London, he added.

Mr Cameron and his bike have had a high profile since he became Conservative leader nearly three years ago.
His entire journey by bike to the House of Commons after becoming leader was broadcast live, filmed from above by news helicopters.
His bicycle was back in the news the next year as he faced Labour attacks on his green credentials after it was revealed that an official car followed him carrying his briefcase.
And in March Mr Cameron apologised after the Daily Mirror photographed him on his bike ignoring red lights and cycling the wrong way up a one-way street.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "We are very sorry that David's bike was stolen from outside our store.
"David's setting a great example to everyone by using his bike to get around so we'll make a donation to bicycling charity Sustrans that might help ease his loss."

That's nothing! Boris Johnson has had SEVEN bikes stolen!!! Story from the Telegraph

Conservative leader David Cameron has been reunited with his bicycle which was stolen on Wednesday.

Last Updated: 8:17AM BST 27 Jul 2008

The moment Conservative leader David Cameron realised his bicycle had been stolen Photo: TAYMAZ
The bike was tracked down and returned to Mr Cameron by a Sunday newspaper shortly before he set off to meet US presidential candidate Barack Obama at the House of Commons on Saturday afternoon.

"Thank you very much indeed. I'm very surprised to have it back - it's incredible. I never thought I'd see it again," Mr Cameron told the newspaper.

"It's priceless to me. I've done over a thousand miles on it and three sponsored bike rides of 250 miles each so it's like an old friend. It's fantastic."

The bike was found abandoned in a side street near where it went missing, minus the front wheel but otherwise intact right down to the Tory leader's helmet and even the lock.

Mr Cameron was shopping at a supermarket near his west London home when the bike was stolen.

"I'm surprised they didn't take the helmet - you'd think they would get something for that on eBay," said Mr Cameron.

The paper claimed that recovery was possible due to the "street contacts" of "local community elder Ernest Theophile" who is 60.

Mr Theophile, 60, who the paper described as a Labour voter who recruits young people to help run a "social business" selling electric-powered eco-bikes to stop them turning to crime, said he was delighted to have helped.

"After a chat with some of the kids, I got their trust and respect and they told me where the bike was. It just shows that the kids want to do good. It's just about the right communication with them," he said.


"You never want to see anyone have their bike nicked - not even a Tory," he said - revealing that he once chastised the Tory leader for riding the wrong way down a one-way street.


Fingerprints from the bike have been taken by the police in an attempt to identify who stole it.


Pictures of a bemused Mr Cameron searching for his wheels appeared in a newspaper the day after the theft, which took place while he was buying salad on the Portobello Road on his way home.


He was criticised by some for trying to secure it to a three-foot bollard, which meant the thieves could simply lift the whole machine off and make off with it.


"I'm not expecting to get it back any time soon," he said at the time.

That's nothing! Boris Johnson has had SEVEN bikes stolen!!! Story from the Telegraph

The case highlighted the need for a greater number of secure cycle stands in London, he added.