A CYCLIST who raised money for charity with a ride from Land's End to John O'Groats has had three bikes worth £7,200 stolen from his garage.
When Graham Wall woke up at his house in Roos and got ready to cycle to work, he found the main garage door open and a side entrance forced.
The thieves had left his wife's and children's bicycles untouched but had taken his three most valuable ones.
He believes their family home was deliberately targeted.
Mr Wall, 42, said: "It makes it that bit harder that it's not a case of them taking everything.
"I also feel very suspicious, because I feel I was watched or followed or someone had said something.
"It's a rural area and it's something I hadn't really expected at all."
Police told Mr Wall bikes had been stolen from another village house, with the thieves returning several months later to the same property when the owner's insurers had paid out.
His family moved into their home about 18 months ago and have also learnt it was burgled before.
Mr Wall, a terminal manager at Easington, frequently used one of the bikes to cycle the 12-mile round trip to work.
He went on another from Land's End to John O'Groats in 2010, raising £5,000 for the British Paralympic team and cancer charities.
Mr Wall said: "People say, 'Oh, it's just stuff,' but there was quite a lot of history there. You do become quite attached. I spent a lot of time and money getting the bikes just right and making them the right fit.
"I cycle round the Wolds on a weekend and I'd been thinking about doing some more events or 100-mile races."
The thieves forced their way into the garage through a side door, using a crowbar or screwdriver to break the lock.
Without waking the sleeping family in the house, they managed to get the main door open and took the bikes away.
Mr Wall is reinforcing the locks to prevent the same thing from happening again.
The criminals took his commuting bike, a Trek 2.1 worth £1,000, along with a £2,400 Cannondale Rize mountain bike.
The most expensive bike taken was the one used for his charity trip, a carbon fibre Cannondale Synapse with a value of thousands of pounds.
The theft happened between 10pm on Wednesday and 6am on Thursday.
• Anyone with information should call police on 101 and quote crime number CY1996256. Alternatively, visit Crimestoppers anonymously online at crimestoppers-uk.org or call on 0800 555111.
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