A BURNLEY teenager stole a workmate’s bike and sold it for £100, not realising it was a specialist machine worth £2,800.

Blackburn magistrates heard Mark Gill was caught on CCTV riding the bike away from the Clayton-le-Moors firm where he and the owner both worked.

But he refused to tell police who he sold the bike to.

Gill, 19, of Coultate Street, pleaded guilty to theft of the bike belonging to Mark Hawkins.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, made subject to community supervision for 12 months, ordered to do 180 hours’ unpaid work and pay £500 compensation.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said because Gill refused to tell police who he had sold the bike to it was not recovered.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said his client had no concept of the true value of the bike.