Motorbike thief jailed after taunting police to 'catch me if you can' in Greater Manchester

Mark Fay, 29, was caught and arrested in September 2023. Credit: GMP

A motorbike thief who taunted police to "catch me if you can" has been sentenced to 30 months in prison.

Mark Fay, of Thoresway Road, Longsight, was found guilty on Tuesday 21 November for his involvement in a string of motorbike thefts in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas.

The 29-year-old was charged with eight counts of theft of motor vehicle offences and three counts of handling stolen goods.

While a specialist team at Greater Manchester Police were looking for Fay, he contacted police and told officers to "catch me if you can".

He also posted videos to social media and used the same phrase as a caption.

The team locating Fay caught and arrested him in September 2023.

Police Constable Davies of GMP’s Central Divisional Tasking Team, said: “Fay had a clear set-up, he planned the offences carefully. It was a lengthy investigation by the team into a clearly organised spate of thefts.

“This showcases the lengths we take in our investigations - no matter how organised or sophisticated the group or individual may be, we will thoroughly investigate and put offenders away in jail.

“And our message to criminals is we can catch you, we will catch you and we will endeavour to catch all those who threaten the safety of our neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester.”


Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...