A broad daylight meeting arranged online to sell an electric bike in Gloucester took a dark turn when the buyers allegedly held the seller at knifepoint – and made off with the bike in a car.

But swift response from officers triggered a successful intercept as the vehicle was heading towards Wiltshire on the A417. Gloucestershire police say they are now holding a gang of four Swindon men after they were arrested.

The Constabulary confirmed: "Four men have been arrested on suspicion of the knifepoint robbery of a man in Gloucester yesterday (Wednesday 17 September). Police were called with a report that four men had threatened another man with weapons and stolen his electric bike after they had arranged to meet and purchase it."

The incident happened on Tredworth Road at around 1.30pm on Wednesday and the force said it was able to stop the suspected vehicle within an hour of the initial alert.

Police added: "The men, who are all from Swindon and between the ages of 21 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of robbery. They all remain in police custody at this time."

The stolen e-bike was not, however, found and it is believed that it may have been dumped in the Tredworth area. Anyone who comes across it is asked to report this to police.

Enquiries remain ongoing and officers are asking anyone in the area at the time and who saw what happened to make contact, quoting incident 199 of 17 September.

Alongside reported risk of growing AI and cyber-related crime for online sales, the physical risk of meeting buyers through attempted online sales on such platforms as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Ebay is reported to be growing in the UK – prompting warnings from police forces nationwide for sellers to be on their guard by taking specific precautions.

The Tredworth incident highlights a consumer risk in what appears to be a growing crime trend. While platforms provide a convenient way to connect with local buyers, Gloucestershire Police refers residents to the website Get Safe Online for guidance to firms and individuals on key measures when both buying or selling via the web.

Broad advice, issued by Bedfordshire Police in 2024 in the wake of a potential car sale that led to an attempted kidnap, included:

● Bring a friend. If you are meeting a buyer/seller, have someone accompany you wherever possible. Also tell other people where you are going and what you are doing.

● Meet in a safe place. Arrange to meet in a public place during daylight hours. Keep your phone turned on, and share your real-time location with a friend or family member via a dedicated app.

● Avoid sharing personal information. Keep your personal information private. We'd also recommend saving the profile of the buyer and your conversation too in case you need to refer to it later.

● Accept safe payment methods. Use legitimate online payment methods wherever possible. If accepting cash, be mindful of counterfeit money.

● Trust your instincts. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don't proceed with the deal if something feels off, and report any suspicious behaviour directly to the platform.

According to UK bike insurer Bikmo, more than one in five of overall claims in the last two years have been for e-bikes, with an average replacement value of £1,473. In its calculations, insurer Laka said the average value of a new bike now came to £2,175.93, highlighting the growing allure of the high-tech bikes for criminals.

Inevitably, electric bikes may also be set to be mentioned in crime dispatches more by dint of their growth in numbers: vendors Paul's Cycles point out that 146,000 e-bikes were sold across the UK last year, while the retailer saw a 95% increase in e-bike revenue between January and June 2025, against the same period in 2024.

● Given values that rival cars, emerging anecdotal evidence from police forces suggests many stolen ebikes may now be destined for distant shores, but given poor traceability of parts and easy replacement of components, illicit resales of stolen ebikes remains far more prevalent in the UK.