Police alert as town hit by six motorbike thefts

A seventh motorbike was stolen in nearby Roslin as part of the spate of incidents over the last six weeks, although it was later found burnt-out near a railway line popular with illegal off-roaders.

Officers have advised owners to ensure their bikes are properly stored while thieves remain active in the area.

Last week the Evening News reported how thieves dismantled a metal shed in the Mavisbank area of Loanhead before making off with two new motorbikes – as the owners slept just feet away.

The gang managed to strip the front away from the shed before wheeling the two 3,000 moto-cross bikes around the house and away on 11 February.

The latest theft also took place in Mavisbank, when a maroon Yamaha motorbike was stolen overnight between 16 and 17 February. Days earlier on 13 February, a Kawasaki bike was taken from The Loan, although it was also recovered from nearby Muirfield Gardens.

The Honda stolen from Roslin went after a break-in at a garage in Manse Road overnight on 31 January and 1 February before being set ablaze and destroyed.

The BMW motorcycle was stolen from an address in Burghlee Terrace in Loanhead on 20 January, and the Suzuki model went missing from outside an address in the town's Mayfield Crescent on 27 January.

A police spokesman said: "Anyone who has any information that can assist our inquiries is urged to contact police as soon as possible.

"At the same time, we would urge motorcycle owners to keep their vehicles secure in a garage or shed if possible, or to park their bikes in a well-lit area where thieves would be less likely to strike."

Councillor Les Thacker, whose ward covers Loanhead, said: "These sort of thefts happen everywhere, but this does seem to be a lot in a short space of time. I would echo what the police have told owners in ensuring their property is kept safe.

"We have had issues with off-roading on the disused railway line between Loanhead, Roslin and Penicuik. The police have been carrying out ad hoc patrols and that has seen people caught there in recent weeks."

The two moto-cross bikes stolen from the Mavisbank area were a yellow Suzuki RM125 and a green Kawasaki KX250.

Derek Connelly, 45, and son Michael, 18, were given the bikes for Christmas. He revealed that only weeks before the theft three men, who claimed to have travelled from Broxburn, came to see one of the bikes after his son looked into swapping his for a superior version on the Gumtree website.

The men arrived in a white transit van and one checked out the bike, but Mr Connelly believes the rest may have been "casing" the shed. The deal did not go ahead.