Thief steals nurse's £350 bike from Queen Alexandra Hospital bike storage space

Edward Saunders, 39, had been working on the front line of the pandemic at the hospital’s acute medical unit after qualifying just three months ago.

The nurse, who is staying in accommodation within the hospital’s grounds, needed to self-isolate for two weeks at the beginning of this month after his flatmate contracted Covid-19 – and he felt confident his only form of transport would be safe in the onsite bike storage space.

But when he checked the room on Thursday May 14, his bike had been taken.

He said: ‘I thought I had made some kind of mistake – I started to question myself.

‘I don’t think I could believe someone would steal the bike.

‘They must have known they were stealing from NHS staff.

‘Stealing from anybody is awful – but stealing from front-line caregivers as they are isolating to help stop the spread of a disease within their community is a bit worse.’

He added: ‘If the person responsible needed my help, I would give it, so it is disappointing that they have chosen to behave like this.’

The storage space is accessed by a key card and ‘nondescript’ entrance, leading the nurse to believe the thief knew they were stealing from NHS staff.

Edward said: ‘You either need the card or someone could have tailgated someone and followed them inside.

‘It's very nondescript - unless you know it's there, you wouldn't think anything of (the entrance).’

And the thief may regret targeting Edward’s bike – as both its tyres were flat.

He said: ‘I left it after cycling to Southsea for some exercise – I managed to get two flat tyres at EasTney, and I had to wheel it back. So whoever nicked it will have had to wheel it out.’

The theft of the black Carrera bike, which is a hybrid mountain-road bike, has been reported to the police.

A spokesman from Hampshire Constabulary said: ‘Anyone with information is asked to phone 101, quoting 44200171388.’

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