Police warn of motorcycle thefts

Police are appealing for information after a spate of off-road motorcycle thefts in the Teignbridge area over the last weekend.

Some five bikes worth £34,000 were taken in one raid from a remote location in Tedburn St Mary.

The five bikes belong to motocross freestyle professional Jamie Sqiubb (pictured) whose bikes are his livelihood.

Taken were a green 2014 Kawaski KXF450F, a blue 2011 Yamaha YZ250, a red Gasgas 250 trial bike and two red Honda CRF 50cc mini bikes.

The bikes were taken from his home at Five Mile Farm sometime over the weekend of 14 to 16 February.

Between 15 to 18 February, two more motocross bikes, valued at nearly £4,000, were taken from a shed in the Ashburton area.

They were a 2005 green Kawasaki KX85 motocross bike and a 2012 orange KTM SX150.

And between 13 and 14 February an orange KTM road-registered enduro bike, registration mark WX13BVV, was taken from the Carpenters Arms in Ilsington.

A police spokesman said: “This is clearly a linked series of burglaries from within what is a fairly tight-knit motorcycling community.

“We would ask anyone with any such vehicles to be vigilant regarding their machines at this time and check that they have sufficient security measures in place – a padlock is not enough and ideally such valuable machines should be locked away when not in use.

“We are appealing for anyone who has any information to please contact police on 101 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting crime ref. JC/14/90