An 18-year-old boy has had his electric bike stolen "at knife point" and his vehicle significantly damaged in Hemel Hempstead.

The teenager and a friend travelled from Portsmouth on Wednesday (August 9) after arranging to sell his bike.

Upon arriving in Hemel Hempstead, the duo were instructed to drive to a car park off Admiral Avenue.

READ MORE

The bike was then forcibly taken, with the friends having allegedly been threatened with a knife.

As they attempted to retrieve the e-bike, a group of people caused "significant damage" to the teenager's vehicle.

Detective Inspector Jason Finnegan said: "Thankfully the victims were not injured but this was, understandably, a frightening ordeal for them.

“Unfortunately, we are once again seeing a rise in cases of people being tricked into delivering goods to thieves, having advertised them for sale online.

                                                                                            

Get more stories like this delivered to your inbox every week by signing up to our newsletter.

                                                                                            

“If you do want to use an online selling site please exercise caution, especially in circumstances where payment has not been made in advance and you have no knowledge of the local area.

“Make sure you look at the buyer’s profile to check their history and that they have genuine details.

"If you are arranging to meet someone to sell or buy an item, always meet in a busy public place covered by CCTV – check the location on Google Earth if the buyer suggests it, to check it is not isolated – and take someone else with you.

“Whilst we cannot guarantee that taking these precautions will stop you from becoming a victim of crime, it will certainly help to reduce some of the risks.

“It’s also worth being wary of people who offer to pay over the odds for an item.

"Many people use these sites to buy goods at a reduced price so, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

“If you have any suspicions or concerns about the person you are dealing with, or you feel unsafe, walk away.”

Information can be reported online at www.herts.police.uk/ro/report or by calling the police's non-emergency number 101.

Anonymous information can be given by contacting Crimestopppers on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.