Machete e-bike robbery: 20-year-old jailed in Manchester 2026

Key Points

• The 20-year-old man Kade Cox has been imprisoned for ten years for the crime of a machete attack while committing a robbery of an e-bike in Leigh, Greater Manchester.
• CCTV footage shows three individuals wearing balaclavas chasing down the victim on 17th April 2025 who fell down and got assaulted.
• The victim was hurt badly with cuts on the face and thumb while the three offenders robbed him of his Surron electric bike.
• Cox was linked to three additional bike robberies/burglaries from April to July 2025 through CCTV, Telecoms and mobile evidence.
• The defendant pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary with intent to steal and two more burglary offences and sentenced in Bolton Crown Court on 17th August 2026.
• As the nature of the crime was very serious, Cox will have to serve a minimum of seven and half years before becoming eligible for release.

Manchester Crime (Manchester Mirror) September 02, 2026 – A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after new CCTV footage showed him as part of a masked gang that chased a man on an electric bike, forced him to crash and attacked him with a machete before stealing the bike. The footage, released by Greater Manchester Police (GMP), shows the incident on 17 April 2025 in Leigh, where three balaclava-clad offenders pursued the victim, who was wearing an orange coat and riding a Surron electric bike.

As reported by staff at The Tab, the victim tried to escape by riding towards his home on Melrose Avenue but lost control and crashed into a wall, after which one offender shouted “grab him now” before the group punched him and another produced a machete. The victim can be heard shouting “no” as he tried to hold onto the bike, but sustained serious injuries including a severe cut to his thumb and wounds to his face before the offenders fled with the electric bike.

What happened during the Leigh e-bike chase and machete attack?

The incident began with three offenders on e-bikes following the victim through Leigh on 17 April 2025, according to GMP’s account of the CCTV. As the man realised he was being tailed, he attempted to outrun them, heading towards his residence on Melrose Avenue. On arrival, he crashed into a brick wall, fell to the ground and was immediately confronted by the group. One attacker punched him, while another drew a machete and struck him repeatedly as he tried to keep hold of the Surron. The gang then took the bike and left the scene, leaving the victim with significant injuries that required medical attention.

Who is Kade Cox and what crimes was he convicted of?

Kade Cox, of Walker Road in Salford, was identified by detectives as one of the three individuals involved in the April robbery. Following an extensive investigation that included CCTV trawls, telecommunications enquiries, social media scanning and mobile phone evidence, officers linked Cox to three further incidents between April and July 2025 involving the theft or attempted theft of motorbikes and electric bikes. On 4 June 2025, three offenders targeted a shed in Leigh and stole two motorbikes worth thousands of pounds. On 19 July 2025, a garage in Tyldesley was broken into and three bikes were taken, including a Honda motorbike and an electric bike.

A further attempted garage break-in in Leigh on 25 July 2025 was aborted when no motorcycles were found inside, according to reporting by the Manchester Evening News. Cox pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary with intent to steal and two further burglary offences involving stolen bikes. He was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on Monday 17 August 2026 to 10 years’ imprisonment.

What sentence did Bolton Crown Court impose and why?

The court imposed a 10-year custodial sentence, reflecting the violent nature of the robbery and Cox’s involvement in a series of targeted thefts. Because of the seriousness of the April machete attack, the judge determined that Cox must serve at least seven-and-a-half years in custody before he can be considered for release. PC Richard Kelsall, senior investigating officer of GMP’s Wigan neighbourhood team, described the incident as a “horrific attack” that left the victim with significant injuries. “Kade Cox alongside two others looked to incite fear and violence through any means possible just so they could steal an electric bike,” PC Kelsall said, as quoted by GMP and reported by The Tab. He added: “I would particularly like to note the courage of the victim who has bravely supported this investigation and continued to do so throughout sentencing.” “We hope this sentence demonstrates our determination to pursue offenders who target our communities and commit violent offences for their own personal gain,” PC Kelsall said.

How did police identify and link Cox to multiple bike thefts?

Detectives used a combination of CCTV analysis, telecoms data, social media searches and mobile phone evidence to connect Cox to the offences. As reported by the Manchester Evening News, officers were able to link four distinct incidents and confirm Cox’s involvement in all of them through these methods. The investigation established that the same group was responsible for the Leigh shed theft on 4 June and the Tyldesley garage burglary on 19 July, in addition to the attempted burglary on 25 July. The cumulative pattern of targeted thefts, alongside the violent robbery, informed the charging decision and the eventual sentence.

What injuries did the victim sustain and how did they respond?

The victim suffered a severe laceration to his thumb and cuts to his face during the assault, according to GMP’s account of the incident. Despite the trauma, the victim continued to support the investigation through to sentencing, a point highlighted by PC Kelsall in his statement. The courage of the victim was specifically noted by police as a factor that helped secure the conviction and the custodial sentence.

Background: How did this development unfold after the robbery?

After the 17 April 2025 attack, GMP launched a dedicated investigation into the robbery and the wider series of bike-related offences across Leigh and Tyldesley. Officers conducted an extensive CCTV trawl, reviewed telecommunications records and examined social media and mobile phone data to identify suspects. This led to the identification of Kade Cox as one of the offenders in the machete robbery and enabled detectives to connect him to three further burglaries and thefts involving motorbikes and electric bikes between April and July 2025. Cox was arrested, charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to robbery, burglary with intent to steal and two further burglary counts. He was sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on 17 August 2026, with the court setting a minimum term of seven-and-a-half years to be served before eligibility for release due to the gravity of the violent attack.

Prediction: How could this sentencing affect local riders and communities?

The sentencing is likely to act as a deterrent to similar e-bike and motorbike theft gangs operating in Greater Manchester, particularly where violence is used to facilitate theft. For local riders, the case underscores the risk of being targeted in daylight chases and may encourage greater use of secure storage, tracking devices and route planning to reduce vulnerability. For communities in Leigh, Tyldesley and surrounding areas, the public release of CCTV and the detailed police narrative could increase awareness and prompt residents to report suspicious activity more readily. If police continue to pair robust investigations with high-visibility sentencing, the development may reduce the frequency of violent bike robberies and shift offender behaviour towards less confrontational theft methods.