Raging business owners warn Highland residents to be on lookout for stolen bikes after £55,000 worth of high-end cycles and clothes were stolen in Laggan; Police Scotland officers have appealed for information

HIGHLANDERS have been warned to beware suspicious characters offering cycles for sale after more than £55,000 worth of high value mountain bikes and clothes were stolen.

Police in Aviemore are investigating after eight Polygon Siskiu T8 mountain bikes, estimated to be worth around £12,800, were stolen from Laggan Wolftrax Visitor Centre in Badenoch and Strathspey between 11pm on Friday and 3am yesterday.

At the same time 12 other mountain bikes “of various makes and models”, worth a combined £39,500, and a further £3100 worth of clothing were also stolen from The Wee Bike Hub.

Police enquiries into the incident are ongoing and officers are appealing for anyone with any information to get in touch.

Detective Sergeant Andy Bilton said: “In order to steal 20 mountain bikes someone would need to have access to a large vehicle.

“We are appealing for anyone who may have seen or heard anything in and around these premises and who may be able to assist with our enquiries to get in touch.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 0935 of January 16.

Duncan Bailey, of the Wee Bike Hub, said: "I am absolutely raging."

"We want anyone who heard or hopefully saw anything to come forward as soon as possible.

"We are probably the third bike hub to be hit in a spate of attacks in the north of the country.

"It's definitely an organised job with a team going round taking the pick of the equipment.”

And he urged folk to be on the lookout in case the thieves try to sell the bikes on to unsuspecting Highlanders.

He added that the theft was a particularly hard blow amid the economic hardship of the Covid-19 pandemic.