‘This is a real blow to our volunteers and the community we serve’
A Hull charity and Humberside Police are appealing for witnesses after a reported burglary on Friday. Giroscope has reported several bicycles and tools stolen from its Bike Project premises on Selby Street.
The community project restores unwanted bicycles and helps local volunteers learn valuable repair and maintenance skills. The charity said the incident has set back their efforts to promote affordable, sustainable transport in Hull.
Adam Newby, coordinator of the Giroscope Bike Project, said: “This is a real blow to our volunteers and the community we serve. We’re asking anyone with information to get in touch.”
Martin Newman, CEO of Giroscope, said: “As far as we know, it is a reasonably secure yard.” He claims that someone must have climbed over the wall.
He added: “It puts us in a really difficult position because a couple of the bikes that were stolen actually belong to other people. They were bikes we were fixing so, obviously, we have been trusted with other people’s property.”
Martin said a “couple of mountain bikes and an electric scooter” were among the items taken. “There is a cost to bear, which is the cost of replacing the bicycles and scooters that belong to other people and we are going to have to reach a settlement with those people which we will honour,” he said.
Overall, he estimated it would cost “a couple of thousand pounds”, but emphasised incidents like this were rare. “We certainly don’t want something like this to give the impression that this is the representation of our community here,” he said.
Giroscope is a neighbourhood renewal charity that provides safe, secure and affordable homes in the west Hull area, with some tenants receiving additional support. Its Bike Project returns unwanted or unused bicycles back to good use in the local community while offering volunteers the chance to get involved in bike repair and maintenance.
The charity also offers commercial property and a coworking space at the St Matthew’s Community Enterprise Centre. There are opportunities for people to develop new skills through the bike, cooking, construction, IT and gardening projects.
A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “Officers were called to reports of a burglary from a business premises believed to have occurred between around 2.30pm on Friday, 7 November 2025, and 9am on Saturday, 8 November 2025, on Selby Street in Hull.
“It is reported forced entry was gained into the premises causing damage to a window before it is believed items, including bicycles and tools, were stolen.
“If anyone witnessed the incident, has dashcam, CCTV or any other information that may assist officers with their ongoing enquiries, please contact us on our non-emergency number 101 quoting crime reference 25*156317. Alternatively, to report anonymously you can do so via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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