Theft of bikes worth £60k a 'devastating blow'

Heidi is hugging her daughter grace. She is wearing blue and black jacket, Grace is wearing a blue headband. The background is the sea with rocks coming out of it at both sides. Heidi McClintock

Heidi and her 11-year-old daughter Grace

Dean McLaughlin
BBC News NI

A business owner in Country Tyrone has described the theft of £60,000 worth of dirt bikes as a "devastating blow".

The off-road bikes were stolen at the weekend in a burglary from Jet Products on the Melmount Road in Sion Mills.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the vehicles were taken sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

Heidi McClintock, who owns the business with her husband, said five dirt bikes and a quad were stolen and she believes the thieves "knew exactly what they were doing".

"We had been away but it wasn't until Sunday morning we discovered items were gone," Mrs McClintock told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

She said all of the bikes and quads were Yamaha as they are a Yamaha dealership.

"These are all brand new and one of the electric bikes belonged to my 11-year-old daughter Grace," she said.

"She is gutted.

"They also took our work horse which is used for moving thing up and down the yard and we will be lost without that.

"This is a devastating blow for a local business like ours. I'm gutted and it's quite emotional."

Three blue scrambler bikes are sitting outside the front of a business. The bikes are stood up on grey concrete. The business in the background is a black shed with two large red and white signing reading 'Yamaha' and 'Jet Products' of its front. Heidi McClintock

Five Yamaha dirt bikes and a Yamaha quad were stolen

Mrs McClintock believes the intruders had to be familiar with bikes and the location.

Forensic officers visited the shop on Monday.

"The forensic team is here and the culprits have left some evidence behind," Mrs McClintock added.

"Fingers crossed, something comes from that."

She said the would be putting up a reward for information.

"We work hard and business in this current climate is not easy," she said.

"Those responsible for this also cut the wires from our security cameras. It is extremely sickening.

"My message to those who did this is to go and get a real job. Stay away from our business."

The police believe it would have taken some time to remove the vehicles, and that a trailer or large vehicle may have been used to transport them.

Anyone with information is asked to get in touch.

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