Police call for more information about sinister attack against cyclists on Southern Expressway

SA Police are appealing to the public for information about two serious incidents involving a wire on bike paths that impacted four cyclists.

SA Police has made an appeal to the public as they search for the person or group responsible for “incredibly serious offending” which has left bike riders fear for their safety.

These efforts include locating a separate person who was seen in the area and may have information that could assist investigations.

The Southern District’s Chief Inspector Mark McEachern said they are aware of “two serious” incidents where an unknown individual has strung thick, metal, fence wire across a bike path and tied it to a tree at Noarlunga’s Southern Expressway.

They are aware of three male cyclists who were caught in the wire on Friday near the Poznan Path foot bridge, and another woman rider struck the wire on Monday.

All riders sustained serious damage to their “expensive” bikes; and two men suffered “nasty grazes on the knees and elbows” after suffering a fall while travelling at the speed of 35km/h.

SA Police is appealing to the public, including asking if anyone knows this man who might be able to help with investigations as they search for a possible perpetrator of the wire attacks along popular cycling path. Picture: SAPOL

They say this man may have more information about the incidents. Picture: SAPOL

Mr McEachern said their investigations have led them to discover that following the second incident on Monday, the victim recalled seeing a male “walking ahead of her in a northerly direction” between Honeypot Rd and Beach Rd at 6.45am.

Police believe he might have “some information about what he saw on the track that morning”.

“We ask for this person to present themselves and contact us,” Mr McEachern said.

“Or if anyone knows the person, to give us a call and let us know who that person is.”

The man was wearing a distinctive hoodie with the words “from nothing, to something” written on the back. He also wore dark coloured shorts, neon green socks and tradie boots.

Where the incidents happened is along a popular cycling path. Picture: SAPOL

Mr McEachern said they fear the incidents are “far more planned” than they initially hoped for.

“We don’t know whether the offender has actually come and cut the wire themselves or whether it’s an opportunistic thing (and) the wire has already been broken and its being stretched across to a tree on the other side of the bike path,” he said on Tuesday.

“But what we suspected may have been an opportunistic incident … an isolated one … yesterday’s incident has shown it is much more sinister than that.”

“The fact that its happened twice, gives concern that someone is actively coming and cutting (the wires).”

Mr McEachern said “it is obviously incredibly serious offending” coming under the ‘acts endangering life’, which carries a maximum penalty of 18-years imprisonment.

“Why you would do that? Who knows. Stupidity and cowardness come to mind,” he said.

He added, based on his previous experience, the height at which the wire is strung has the potential to cause “life-changing” injuries.

Mr McEachern said they are concerned there are other incidents similar to these that have simply not been reported to police – and urges anyone with information about previous incidents to come forward.

Cyclists are urged to be alert for obstacles as the Tour Down Under starts this Friday.

Originally published as Police call for more information about sinister attack against cyclists on Southern Expressway