Shop raid by cycle thief
£3k of estimated damage in raid
A BIKE shop owner has spoken of his upset after a thief smashed his window and stole a bike, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
The theft happened at Town Bikes, in Stoke Road, Gosport, at 3.10am on Sunday.
The incident was captured on CCTV and shows a man smashing the shop’s front window, before climbing in and then over bikes to reach an e-scooter box.
When he finds the box is empty, he throws it down and grabs a bike, before making off back out of the broken window.
Business owner Jason Lewry, who has run the shop for 23 years, posted the footage on social media – and he says he’s been flooded with support by his customers and the public.
Jason, 51, said: ‘I don’t normally do social media, I just have a page for the shop, but the video I posted has been watched more than 50,000 times and shared 750 times.
‘People have been messaging to say they know who it is. People have been pretty supportive.’
Jason, who also lives in Gosport, said the theft has left him counting the cost.
He said: ‘As well as the damage to the window, he has caused other damage as he staggered over the other bikes, knocking them over and scratching them. I can’t sell them as new now.
‘With everything, he’s probably caused about £3,000 worth of damage.
‘We are just a small business, there’s just me and another lad working here.
‘It’s not going to close us down but it will certainly hurt.
‘I will claim on my insurance but then my premiums will go up. It is a pain.’
A police spokesman said: ‘We’re investigating a burglary which took place at Town Bikes in Stoke Road, Gosport.
‘At around 3.10am on Sunday, April 4, the front window of the store was smashed and a bike was stolen from inside.
‘The bike is described as a brand new Eze Go Trail Destroyer, which is sand colour with black and red/orange markings on the frame.
‘If you are offered sale of a bike matching this description, or have any information about this incident, please contact police on 101 quoting 44210126248.’
People have been messaging to say they know who it is. We are a small business. Jason Lewry