Kenilworth cycle shop staff left in shock after gang targeted high-end bikes

Warwickshire Police are investigating the incident after offenders dressed in grey hoodies broke into the Mike Vaughan Cycles store in the High Street of Kenilworth.

The burglary occurred between 12.30 and 1am on Wednesday October 23.

Officials with the shop have released several images of the 12 bicycles stolen in the hopes people in the community might recognise them.

It's also not the first time the store has been burgled.

Ray Wilson, a manager at the store, said: “We had a long long spell of nothing and then about 18 months ago one of our shop windows was smashed and two bikes were ripped out the window.”

All 12 of the bicycles stolen this week were mountain bikes, and 10 were electric mountain bikes.

Mr Wilson added: “This one looked planned. There was about seven of them. They obviously knew what they wanted.”

The offenders made off in the white Ford Transit van.

Shop staff posted a message on social media through its Facebook page in an effort to raise awareness about what happened, which included: "We believe that we were targeted having just received the new models from both Trek and Specialized.

Mr Wilson added: “They were all high end quite expensive bikes. We're still in a shock here. It's not a good time when retail and cycle sales are at a low.”

Anyone with information about the bicycle store burglary can call police on 101 quoting incident number 5 of October 23.

People can also report information to police anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.