BIKE SHOP OWNERS LEFT COUNTING THE COST AFTER RAMMING RAMPAGE

BRAZEN criminals stole two dirt bikes and left a local business thousands of dollars out of pocket after smashing into the side of the store with a stolen ute on Wednesday morning.

Suncity Motorcycles general manager Nick Lazaredes was left counting the costs after surveying the damage in the devastating aftermath, with the pair of stolen bikes worth about $14,000 combined.

Large windows on the side of the store were smashed, leaving shards of glass scattered across the showroom floor and on equipment. Now, apart from repairing the damage, the business is also considering outlaying even more money to beef-up extra security.

“They kept smashing into the sides of the building with a four by four ute until they got in,” Mr Lazaredes said.

“Two people got out of the ute and they pushed their way into the building.

“They walked around inside the dealership, trying to start the engines on bikes, but they couldn’t.

“They ended up taking two dirt bikes.”

Mr Lazaredes has seen footage of the theft, with the store’s owner being alerted after seeing the brazen act happen live.

“He saw it happening on his phone. He lives about 10-15 minutes away,” Mr Lazaredes said.

“We could see the guys exiting the building with the two motorbikes and getting them outside. We assume they bundled them on to the ute and drove off.”

The ute, a Nissan Navara, was also used by the same group of people who were involved in the alleged assault of a police officer in Vincent on Tuesday night.

About 11.35pm, a rock was thrown from the stolen car towards a police vehicle, resulting in one police officer being taken to Townsville University Hospital.

“We’ll have to look at upping security around the dealership,” Mr Lazaredes said.

“We’ve had incidents here before; the last one was about three or four years ago.

“We recently had a window smashed on the other side of the building but they couldn’t get in, so it looks as though they’ve come back and tried the other side.”

Residents and police have spoken of their frustrations at the city’s rampant crime rate, which Mr Lazaredes said was “getting beyond a joke”.

“There’s no repercussions, nothing,” he said.

“The poor-old police are flat-chat because they are dealing with it.”