IT WAS the worst possible place he could have chosen to commit a crime.

A man stole a bicycle from the makers of a TV series about lawbreakers who fall foul of CCTV - and was duly caught on camera himself as he made his escape.

The Southampton-based production company Topical TV makes the popular BBC1 show Caught Red Handed, presented by crime-busting broadcaster Dom Littlewood.

But the irony was apparently lost on a passer-by who decided to help himself to a baby blue cycle owned by one of the company’s researchers.

Now Topical TV is using its considerable resources to publicise the theft in a bid to ensure the culprit is brought to justice.

Producer Julian Dismore said: “He decided to steal a bike from the offices of the company that makes a show about criminals being caught on camera and, guess what, he was caught on camera.

“As you might expect the building is bristling with CCTV - and we know what to do with it.

“It was my birthday and we were all going out for a drink but the evening got off to a rather sad start when we discovered the bike had vanished - thanks to someone cutting through the lock and wheeling it away.

“I was very lucky. My bike was next door and it would have been a very unpleasant birthday surprise if that had gone as well.

“We alerted our tech guys straight away and within a few moments we found images of the man committing the crime.

"Like the criminals we feature day in day out, there’s a good chance he won’t get away with it for long.”

The bike belongs to a 21-year-old employee who wants to be identified only as Grace.

She said: “It’s baby blue with white rims on the wheels. It was a present from my parents when I was 14 and I still use it every day.

“I really want my bike back. I hope that anyone who recognises the man gets in touch with the police.”