Birkenshaw youngster struck with pick-axe in bike robbery

Paul Cross, from Birkenshaw, described the attack as ‘very scary’, saying his step-son had been ‘badly traumatised’ by the incident in which his moped was stolen.

The youngster was chased from Moor Lane when he was verbally abused, chased down and struck with the garden tool. The trio chased him onto Kingsley Crescent where they attacked him again and stole his vehicle.

Now Mr Cross is keen to get the word out there to parents in the area that this sort of thing ‘is now a threat’.

“It’s awful to think something like that could happen here, it’s very scary,” he said, “there were three lads on one motorbike; balaclavas, no helmet.

“He was followed for a while and hit over the head with what we thought was a garden tool, he managed to get to outside our home but they attacked him again and they got his bike.”

The victim, who holds a special licence for the vehicle, had been travelling towards McDonalds to meet friends.

“He could see them coming up behind him and that they weren’t good news,” Paul said, “they shouted at him to get off his bike when they hit him and as I say, he’s shaken up.

“As a parent you just don’t think that sort of thing is going to happen, but I guess it’s happening more and more. Some kids have just got no respect for the law. Parents need to be made aware.

“This is the sort of thing you hear about happening in London, not Birkenshaw.”

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed that they had been called to an incident on Kingsley Crescent just after 8.30pm on Sunday September 30.

They said: “The suspects were armed with a pick-axe and attacked the victim while he was on his bike.

“The suspects made off with the bike and enquiries are ongoing.

“Anyone who might have seen the incident and anybody with information is asked to contact the non-emergency number 101 citing crime reference number 13180486929 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”