Specialist bicycles are taken in £30,000 Ditton Priors raid

Ten bikes and various parts and equipment worth nearly £30,000 were taken during a burglary at Clee Cycles, on the Ditton Priors Industrial Estate, near Bridgnorth.

Thieves broke in between 8.30pm on December 20 and 9.30am the following day.

Owner Andy Jones, 42, who has run Clee Cycles for nine years, said: "Obviously we're absolutely gutted. Lots of bikes and parts were stolen costing us about £30,000.

"We believe we were certainly targeted because a lot of the parts were specialised and there has been a spate of cycle thefts over the last few months.

"We'd like anyone who is offered such bikes to get in contact with the police."

Constable Catherine Rapson, the investigating officer, said the bikes were custom built and as such were extremely rare.

She said: "I am appealing for any information which might assist the investigation, especially regarding the identities of the thieves and the whereabouts of the bikes.

"I would also like to hear from anyone who spotted anything suspicious in the Ditton Priors area overnight last Thursday." Constable Rapson said the cycles were a mixture of mountain and road bikes and included new and second hand models.

Various items of stock, £450 cash and a Dell laptop worth £300 were also taken.

The most unusual and expensive bikes to be taken were a large size Titus X mountain bike, with polished alloy, which was silver in colour and had black components, valued at £3,500.

Among the models taken were a Moda Tempo road bike and a Merida race lite bike.

Anyone with information can call Bridgnorth police station on 101 or 0300 333 3000 or call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.