Man arrested after posing as KTM MotoGP mechanic to steal bike from Jorge Martin

Police in Spain have arrested a man suspected of stealing a €20,000 bike from Jorge Martin in Valencia, who gained MotoGP paddock access by impersonating a KTM mechanic.

During the Valencia Grand Prix weekend last month, 2024 MotoGP world champion Jorge Martin had a rare custom Pinarello bicycle stolen from his motorhome.

The bike is valued at between €15,000 and €20,000 and is used by Martin for training, with the Spaniard a keen cyclist. Only a handful of models were ever built.

According to a report from Spain’s TodoCircuito, the Guardia Civil confirmed it had made an arrest of a 44-year-old man they suspect of carrying out the theft.

Police were able to make the arrest after tracing the man’s footsteps through CCTV footage of the day the theft took place, which revealed an intriguing detail.

The suspect was able to gain access to the Valencia MotoGP paddock because he was dressed in KTM gear.

Posing as a mechanic, he was able to prowl around team trucks without arousing suspicion before breaking into Jorge Martin’s personal belongings.

The police were able to pinpoint the suspect after finding CCTV footage of him at a nearby petrol station, still dressed in KTM gear and with the bike in his possession.

From here, the police were able to identify the 44-year-old suspect and trace him back to his Madrid home, where the arrest was made.

The suspect, who has not yet been named, is reported to already have a considerable criminal record for theft, and was also under investigation for stealing a car from a dealership.

Reports suggest the suspect had only just come out of prison when he stole Martin’s bike.

The Pinarello is now due to be returned to the 2024 world champion.

However, this episode will raise questions about security measures in the MotoGP paddock and why this man was able to gain access easily.

While high-profile riders being targeted by thieves is rare, countless paddock personnel have fallen victim to their possessions being stolen from media centres and car parks at certain events.

MotoGP has made no public comment on the theft from the paddock.