£50,000 haul at quad bikes event: Wyre Forest
(DY13 - Monday, 3 May, 2010)

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after three quad bikes and two motocross bikes worth more than £50,000 were stolen during a national race meeting in Wyre Forest at the weekend.

A £2,000 reward has been offered by one of the owners for information leading to arrest and conviction of the thieves.

The machines were taken from Coney Green Farm, Ribbesford Road, Stourport, overnight between Saturday (April 24) and Sunday (April 25).

They were among more than 120 bikes and quad bikes from all over the country which had been taken there to compete in the second round of the British Championships for endurance quad bikes, 250cc class.

One of the quad bikes, worth around £15,000, has since been recovered by police in South Wales but the other two, worth a similar amount, are still outstanding.

They are both hand-built for this year's championships and belong to top racers on the national circuit.

They were being raced for the first time at the weekend.

The first quad is described as:

• a Yamaha
• a black frame
• with red swing arms
• graphics which include the name Billy in red on a black panel at the front

The second quad is described as:

• a Yamaha
• a unique purple frame
• white panels
• bright pink graphics which include the name Dexter Langford

Of the motocross bikes which were stolen.

One is described as:

• a £4,000 Suzuki RM85
• has gold plated tubes at the bottom of the front suspension fork legs
• has yellow plastics with a white rear mudguard
• has the race number 15 and graphics which include the name Harry and MX Racing

The other is described as:

• an orange KTM 125 EXC - registered VX58 UFN - valued at £3,500

Detective Constable Paul Willetts of Kidderminster CID said that one or more large vans or trucks with ramps would have been required to remove the motocross and quad bikes.

He said police were keen to trace a black Mercedes van seen at the site before the thefts to eliminate it from their inquiries.

DC Willetts added:

"The fear is that these machines have been stolen to be stripped down for parts.

"The quad bikes in particular are very distinctive and we would urge anyone who saw them being removed or anyone with information about where they are now or who took them to get in touch with us immediately."

Witnesses or anyone with information should call DC Willetts at Kidderminster CID on 0300 333 3000.

Alternatively call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111

Coney Green Farm
Ribbesford Road
Stourport-on-Severn
Staffordshire
DY13