Wanted man taunts police by posting 'keep up if you can' on Facebook appeal for his whereabouts

A suspected thief wanted by police in south London taunted officers by commenting on his police appeal saying “keep up if you can”.

Wandsworth Police put out an appeal for information about the whereabouts of 18-year-old suspect Nathan Bick on their Facebook page after a series of thefts in the area.

But the foolhardy suspect - on the police's 'most wanted page' - commented on the social media post three times in a bizarre exchange where he told officers to “keep up”.

The wanted man replied to a comment posted by another woman who said she would contact police if she spotted him.

Bick replied to her: “Hopefully I see you two [sic] love.”

Wandsworth Police replied to Bick and said: “Might as well hand yourself in now, Nathan.”

He replied with a laughing emoji and wrote: “Just keep up if you can”

He added: “Wandsworth Police I think you didn’t understand when I said keep up but yeah am back on my Back Wheel for you pigs 24s.”

It is not the first time suspects and wanted criminals have teased police via social media appeals.

In December last year a convicted burglar wanted by police posted a series of images taunting officers on Facebook.

A Wandsworth Police spokesperson told the Standard: "Since we started publishing images of wanted suspects on Facebook there was always the possibility that one would comment on our page, on their own appeal.

"While efforts to locate the individual will continue, this provides us with a further opportunity to make a direct appeal for them to hand themselves in."

On the Facebook appeal police said: "Nathan Bick is a prolific motor vehicle thief. He is known to favour stealing mopeds and often uses them to commit other crimes."