Thieves drive van
into store showcase
COLE BAY--Thieves rammed a van into the front entrance of the Yamaha motorcycle dealership in Cole Bay on Tuesday, crumpling the protective rolling shutters and shattering the glass doors before stealing motorcycles worth almost US $20,000, the store owner told The Daily Herald.
The shutter was bent in, hanging from its compartment, and glass was scattered across the floor of the store’s display area after the pre-dawn attack.
An eyewitness told Yamaha dealer Leo Richardson that four persons had driven an unmarked van into the Tamarind Shopping Plaza store and then had stolen a red two-stroke Honda CR-125, a blue Yamaha WR-250 and a blue Yamaha WR-450 on display at the front of the store.
The thieves appeared to have planned their moves before they attacked. “They knew what they were coming for and they did it quickly,” said Richardson Tuesday afternoon.
The three brand-new bikes had a total sale value of $18,700, according to Richardson.
The thieves apparently had attempted to force their way into the store using a crowbar before deciding to drive the van into the store. They then quickly packed the three motorcycles into the back of the van before speeding onto Union Road in an unspecified direction, Richardson said.
This attack has prompted Richardson to increase security and to invest in surveillance to prevent another incident. “I just ordered some cameras from off the Internet too,” said Richardson, who now has to pay to replace his shutter system, the entrance and the new bikes.
The thieves might not get away scot-free though. Richardson told this newspaper the police had been given the VIN and serial numbers of all three vehicles and had been told how to tell whether parts belonged to the stolen bikes.
Anyone with information that could lead to the recovery of the stolen bikes and/or the capture of the thieves is advised to contact Richardson at 544-3224 or the police department at 542-2222.
