It's simple. Youths on bikes mean that the risk far outweighs the benefit. Forces across the country don't want dead kids as a result of pursuits. Plus bikes are naturally quicker than cars, so forces don't want their drivers ragging the GP's to death trying to keep up and inadvertently wiping out other cars or pedestrians.

There are plenty of misinformed members of the public out there who are ready to jump on the bandwagon at a moments notice.

The kids who normally steal bikes are too thick to see the bigger picture and will always "come round again", so the necessity for pursuit isn't as important as first thought.

I agree with your sentiments though. Five kids down here stole a car, were pursued by the police. Car crashed, and all five died. Officer pursuing got dragged through the courts despite being a long way back from the car, and all for nothing in the end. The inbreds couldn't quite get it that their precious children had stolen a car, and had no right to be driving it.

At the funeral of one of these kids, one gormless mate was quoted as saying "Why isn't anyone showing them some respect?". He'd obviously forgotten that his friends had robbed countless people, assulted others and generally made life miserable for the residents of the local streets where he lived.

Darwin's theory is pefectly illustrated.