Serial bike thief who stole MP Layla Moran's £2,200 e-bike is jailed for 34 months in Oxford

Published 28 October 2026, 15:40

• Andrew Hurtault, 45, was jailed after admitting seven bike thefts at Oxford Crown Court.
• MP Moran's locked e-bike worth over £2,000 was stolen in July as she warns that theft is 'all too common in Oxford'
• Hurtault was caught with bolt cutters after another bike theft, and was banned from carrying lock-breaking gear for five years

A serial bike thief who stole a £2,200 e-bike belonging to MP Layla Moran is behind bars after being sentenced to 34 months in prison at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday, 22 October.

Andrew Hurtault, 45 and of no fixed abode, was additionally required to pay a £228 victim surcharge and received a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) aimed at preventing further offending, according to Thames Valley Police.

At an earlier hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on 16 July, Hurtault pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft of a pedal cycle and one count of going equipped for theft.

The thefts, which involved high-value e-bikes, were carried out at various sites around Oxford during June and July this year, and CCTV footage showed Hurtault committing a number of them.

Among his haul was an e-bike belonging to Moran, the Oxford West and Abingdon MP, snatched from The Plain at around 11pm on 3 July.

The bike was securely locked and valued at roughly £2,200.

On 15 July, a stolen bicycle from University College, Oxford, led to Hurtault's arrest.

Officers discovered him in possession of the stolen bicycle along with various implements for stealing bikes, and he was charged the following day, Thames Valley Police said.

Under the CBO, Hurtault is prohibited from owning or using a mechanically propelled vehicle, bicycle, scooter, skateboard, or any other form of conveyance that has not been registered with Thames Valley Police, and he must carry documentation confirming that registration at all times.

He is also barred from possessing any bicycle part, accessory or lock without a valid receipt or proof of ownership, and from carrying tools capable of damaging locks or removing bike parts in a public place.

Investigating officer PC William Matthews, of the Cowley and East Oxford Neighbourhood Policing Team, said Hurtault was "a prolific offender who targeted bicycles across the city, causing inconvenience and financial loss to numerous victims."

He credited "CCTV evidence and the swift action of officers" for his identification and arrest.

"Bike theft has a significant impact on victims, many of whom rely on their bicycles for work, education and day-to-day life," Matthews said.

His team "takes a proactive approach to identifying and pursuing those responsible."

He said the sentence and CBO "will help prevent further offending and provide reassurance to the public."

Moran said she is "very grateful to the police for catching Andrew Hurtault, who was a serial bike thief," and gave "special thanks" to constituents who provided leads after she posted the story online.

"Sadly, this type of theft is all too common in Oxford and I am pleased that as a result of this the CCTV on The Plain is now working again," she said.