National News

'Motorbike thief' killed in crash

© Press Association 2011

5:44pm Tuesday 7th September 2010

A suspected motorbike thief who police refused to chase because he was not wearing a helmet has been killed in a crash - riding with no helmet on a stolen machine.

Bobby Carl Hodgkins, 24, was one of two men arrested days after a £20,000 raid on motorbikes at a showroom in Altrincham, Cheshire, last month.

At the time officers from Greater Manchester Police came under fire after they refused to chase the thieves over safety fears as they were not wearing crash helmets.

But senior police said their officers were following national policy on pursuing bike thieves without helmets.

Hodgkins, on bail for the earlier raid, suffered serious head injuries when a Kawasaki 450 off-ride bike he was riding collided with a Toyota van in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, on Saturday afternoon. He died a short time later.

The motorbike had been stolen during a burglary in Audenshaw, east Manchester, on August 26.

Hodgkins was due to answer bail for the showroom theft on Friday.

His family paid tribute to him in a short statement: "Bobby was a loving and loyal son who would do anything for his family. He will continually shine in our hearts forever."

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