Violent' gang detained for motorbike thefts and kidnap

A violent motorbike theft and kidnapping gang has been detained after a multi-month spree in Bristol that police said escalated from targeted theft to violent assaults. Marshall Thomas (18), Cameron Stevens (22), and Brandon Carter (22), all from Hartcliffe, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to 10 years, eight years, and three years respectively. Sonnie Davies (20), also from Hartcliffe, received three years for kidnapping and violently assaulting a 15-year-old on 30 July 2024 alongside Thomas and Carter. The group stole dozens of motorcycles across six months in 2025, worth up to £1m, often in broad daylight, including high-value bikes estimated at about £10,000–£25,000 each. Police said the incident included injuries from an assault that was filmed for humiliation, and it was followed by further violence, including an attack on a security guard last December. The case follows reporting of the Honda Forza 350 stolen from Bristol Temple Meads on 7 October 2024.