‘I just want my bike back’: Man searching for penny farthing stolen from Streatham

A man is searching for his beloved penny farthing after it was snatched outside a hair salon on Monday afternoon.

Robert Torto, 44, of Harlesden Road, Willesden, is appealing to the public to help him find his 56” Trotts and Son’s penny farthing with a distinctive red rear tyre after it was stolen in Streatham Hill Road at around 1pm.

The civil engineer said: “I cycled down to the same hair salon I’ve been going to since 2007, but must have not fastened it securely enough at the bike rack.

“I had my eyes on it the whole time I was in the salon but got up to wash my hair and the next second it was gone.”

Today Mr Torto is speaking with residents and shop owners in Stretham in a desperate plea to help find his bike.

He said: “I reported it straight away to the police but I phoned last night and they hadn’t allocated an officer to the case yet.

“I’ve already spoken to so many people who saw the man with my bike – I got CCTV footage from a local pharmacy showing the man walking with it down the road.

“I don’t want him to get in any trouble but I just want my bike back.”

Yesterday BBC’s Jeremy Vine, a fellow keen cyclist, alerted his followers on X to the missing bike, tweeting:  “Important we get this back. Red rear tyre will make it difficult to fence.”

Mr Torto, whose engineering speciality is sustainable travel, has designed some of the key cycle routes that run through London.

He purchased the distinctive penny-farthing last year after being inspired by other traditional bike riders at London’s iconic Tweed Run cycle ride.

The father-of-four said: “I ride it every day, this bike means everything to me. 

“I’ve done London to Brighton on it, I’ve done Newhaven to London on it. It’s part of my identity, people identify me with the bike.”

Mr Torto said he hopes to find his bike soon so he can participate in the Guinness World Record attempt for the greatest gathering of Penny-Farthing riders since the 1880s this October at Herne Hill Olympic Velodrome.

The Met police have been approached for comment.

Pictured top: Robert Torto and his penny farthing (Picture: Robert Torto)