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Second major bike theft in Scottish Highlands in a fortnight sees thieves steal bicycles worth £50,000

Burglary in Grantown-on-Spey comes a fortnight after similar raid 30 miles away in Laggan

 

Police in the Scottish Highlands are appealing for information after 12 mountain bikes and seven mountain bike frames worth £50,000 were stolen from Base Camp Bikes in Grantown-on-Spey on Friday evening – just a fortnight after a similar theft in Laggan, 30 miles away.

Aviemore CID says that the brands of bikes stolen in the latest theft included Banshee, Evil, Rocky Mountain and Yeti, with the premises broken into between 10pm and midnight on the evening of Friday 29 January.

Officers are linking the burglary, in which a large quantity of clothing and other items were also stolen, to the theft of a Land Rover and high-sided agricultural trailer from Kingussie, which lies on the A9 around 8 miles northeast of Laggan.

Police Scotland say that enquiries into the incident are ongoing, and are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch. 

Detective Sergeant Andy Bilton said: “We are appealing for anyone who may have seen or heard anything in and around this area and who may be able to assist with our enquiries to get in touch. 

“We would particularly appeal to anyone who may have observed this Land Rover and trailer, or any other large vehicle capable of transporting this quantity of bikes, in the area around these times.”

Anyone who has information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident NM165/21, or alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Last month, eight hire bike were stolen from a community enterprise at Laggan Wolftrax Visitor Centre and 12 bikes were taken from The Wee Bike Hub bike shop at the same premises.

The theft happened on the night of 15/16 January, with the thieves cutting the power to the centre.

As yet, Police Scotland have not confirmed whether they believe the two thefts of bikes are linked.

Base Camp Bikes has posted details of some of the bikes that were stolen to Facebook.

Sad to write this and later than hoped to post up but it’s been a long day. At some point during Friday night into...

Posted by BaseCamp Bikes Ltd on Saturday, 30 January 2021

Hi all, Here is a list of bikes to keep eye out wherever they maybe. Will get more pics but a few up there for...

Posted by BaseCamp Bikes Ltd on Sunday, 31 January 2021

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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14 comments

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the infamous grouse | 2 years ago
2 likes
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Dingaling | 3 years ago
0 likes

Who'd have thought that a tiny town of 2470 people has a bike shop stocking 12 bikes and 7 frames worth 50 grand! Looks like there is more money sloshing around whisky country than one might suspect.

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kylemalco replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
2 likes

People travel a considerable distance when they live in the country

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Dingaling replied to kylemalco | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'm sure they do but if I was looking for a bike shop I would be looking in Inverness, Elgin or Aviemore before I looked in Grantown.

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EK Spinner replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
8 likes

in a part of the country where adventure sports are a major part of the economy, and top end mountain bikes are in regular use then the market is most definetly there

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Dingaling replied to EK Spinner | 3 years ago
0 likes

My mother lived in Forres and I cycled that area many times and I didn't see any other cyclists apart from up near the Moray coast. The last time I cycled from Forres to Aviemore to catch the train I didn't see another cyclist but I guess it could have changed in the last 5 years.

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Manchestercyclist replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
3 likes

It's a significant part of the tourist economy, the kind of folk that are prepared to travel to Scotland for MTB are likely to have a few quid and require decent bikes too. I'm suprised that there isn't better CCTV, I'd be suprised if a local gang have the loaf to conduct this sort of raid. In which case they either travelled from a nearby city (passing ANPR) or they have been residing locally between jobs. Either way you'd have to spend quite a while planning this including the stealing of relevant vehicles.

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Smoggysteve replied to Manchestercyclist | 3 years ago
5 likes

"they either travelled from a nearby city (passing ANPR) or they have been residing locally between jobs."

May I refer you to the bit about the Stolen LR and high sided trailer. Its obviously been well planned and the chances of finding the bikes or the thieves will be slim. Bikes end up on ebay as individual components and frames.

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EK Spinner replied to Smoggysteve | 3 years ago
1 like

I noticed that too SmoggySteve, execute the robbery using stolen LR and trailer, if anything goes wrong abandon the lot and nothing is too linkable back to the culprits, whats the betting the LR and trailer are either never found or totally burnt out when they are

 

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OldRidgeback replied to EK Spinner | 3 years ago
0 likes

The trailer might be destroyed or dumped but the Landy is worth a bit too and also a vehicle regularly stolen. They're often stripped for parts so it's more likely the chasis with the VIN would be dumped and all the valuable body panels, inerior fittings, engine, gearbox and axles sold on. The way a Landy is made lends itself to being stripped for parts sadly.

It's possible an investigation into the stealing of the vehicle and the trailer will reveale an ANPR link to the people involved, who probably came from a city like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee or Aberdeen.

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Awavey replied to Manchestercyclist | 3 years ago
0 likes

MTBing might be a significant thing around there,but how does that translate into sales of top end MTBs ?

Id understand hiring of the bikes for a period,which might translate into occasional sales. But people buying bikes just to go riding on holiday, if they were that keen why didnt they already have a bike with them? How do they get the bike home etc ?

It's like saying you go on holiday to the Norfolk broads and end up buying a new boat, raises far more questions than answers imo.

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EK Spinner replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
2 likes

How many surf shops are in Newquay, general outdoor shops in the lake district, etc
When like minded folk get together they like to look in like minded shops, even if the sale isn't made to the holiday makers there and then they will still do on line business, have oders waiting for customers when they arrive on a trip as well.
Add to that, if you are a keen enough expert on a topic like MTBs and you are starting a business selling them, then you would also want to live in an area where you can get out after work. Additionally most of these businesses are complimenary to the bike hire/repair/coffee shops that tend to partner them

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OnYerBike replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
4 likes

Awavey wrote:

MTBing might be a significant thing around there,but how does that translate into sales of top end MTBs ? Id understand hiring of the bikes for a period,which might translate into occasional sales. But people buying bikes just to go riding on holiday, if they were that keen why didnt they already have a bike with them? How do they get the bike home etc ? It's like saying you go on holiday to the Norfolk broads and end up buying a new boat, raises far more questions than answers imo.

1) Some people do just have more money than sense. I haven't especially noticed this regarding mountain bikes, but in general a significant proportion of visitors to the Highlands are wealthy and probably wouldn't sniff at dropping £3k on a new bike. Shouldn't have much trouble fitting it in the giant SUV they normally drive.

2) If you were in the market for a new MTB, there is something to be said for going to somewhere like the highlands, hiring the bike for a couple of days and if you like it then buying it. Given that the correct number of bikes to own is n+1, every cyclist who visits is a potential customer.

3) Bike sales aren't necessarily a large proportion of their business. Bike hire and servicing might be much more significant. But it would be a strange bike shop that didn't sell bikes!

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tom_w replied to Dingaling | 3 years ago
1 like

Or possibly it's just the stock they sell via their online store... https://www.basecampbikes.co.uk/mountain-bikes/male/adult 

They're one of only two Evil bikes dealers in Scotland.

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