Reward after thieves steal motorbikes
A furious victim of theft is offering a cash reward to anyone who can help find the thieves who stole motorbikes worth £2,000 from his home.
Thieves struck twice in just three months - first stealing a bike which was discovered smashed-up and then again taking another bike, which was later torched.
Trevor Wilson was enraged when a Direct Bike Scooter was taken from the carport at the side of his Tipton bungalow in February.
But just three months later he was again a victim when the Hyosung bike he bought as a replacement was stolen from the very same spot.
The first bike was found smashed-up by police off the Birmingham New Road in Coseley around two weeks after it was stolen.
Mr Wilson found the second bike himself. It had been torched and dumped in a field just yards from his home in Brookfield Way.
He said: "After the first bike was taken and before it was found we had to splash out to buy another. My future son-in-law, Matt, works shifts and he needs it to get to work.
"When they did find it was so smashed up that we had to scrap it.
"After my wife found the second bike had gone I thought it could have been the same people so I was driving around Coseley trying to find it.
"But it was actually by chance I found it on the fields over the back. The dog had been playing up one night so I said I would take it for a walk.
"As soon as I turned the corner onto the field I saw it and knew it was Matt's bike because I recognised the exhaust."
On both occasions the thieves broke locks on the carport gate, the handlebars and the rear and front wheels to free the bikes.
Mr Wilson, aged 61, is desperate to find those responsible and is offering £200 to anyone who provides information which leads to a conviction.
He has lived at the property for 27 years but said crime had become worse than ever in the last year.
He added: "At the end of the day I want people to be aware of what is going on.
"It was not only the two bikes.
"Two months before that I came out the bungalow to find all my paper work thrown about over my car seats.
"They had got into the car looking for valuables. I was not the only one. There were about six others in the nearby area."
Anyone who has information is asked to contact police on 101.
