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Durham student planning to cycle length of Americas pleads for return of bike after theft

Specialized Allez stolen from car park opposite city's police station...

A Durham Ph.D student who earlier this year helped break a world record for rowing across the Atlantic has appealed for the return of the bike she intended to ride on her next adventure – cycling the length of the Americas from Alaska to Argentina.

The bike, a black Specialized Allez, was stolen last week from a Durham University underground car park in Elvet Riverside opposite the city’s main police station, reports the Northern Echo.

The owner, Naomi Hoogesteger, aged 29 and originally from Somerset, told the newspaper: ““It is more than just something to train on.

“I have had it a long time and there is a lot of history for me and that bike.”

The thief reportedly used a hacksaw to cut through the bike lock, and police believe that the same person may have been responsible for a number of similar thefts in the city.

Police are in possession of video footage of the suspect, and according to the newspaper think that he buys blades for the hacksaw at Durham Indoor Market.

Miss Hoogesteger continued: “I just think how dare he? Does he know how important that bike is to me?

“He will regret it if I ever get to meet him.”

In February, the student was part of a team that completed a voyage rowing 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Port St Charles in Barbados to raise money for the charity, Combat Stress.

In her planned trip through the Americas, she plans to raise money for community projects in South America.

“It may not happen for five or ten years, but I would like to set myself a major challenge for each decade of my life,” she added.

Anyone with information regarding the theft of the bike is requested to phone police on 0345 6060365.
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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jimc101 | 13 years ago
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With the threats she appears to be making, she could do more time than the theif if he is ever caught.

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handlebarcam | 13 years ago
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I hope she gets her bike back, but I doubt a Specialized Allez would last long on South American roads - I've known many people whose aluminium Specialized frames have cracked from just a couple of years use on Britain's (allegedly) First World roads.

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