“To steal bicycles from children absolutely blows my mind”: Caboolture club left $6000 out of pocket

A BMX club north of Brisbane is on a mission to track down six stolen bikes after their storage shed was raided by “desperate” thieves.

The Caboolture BMX Club is struggling to comprehend why thieves would break-in and steal six loan bikes, used to coach children from as young as three in how to ride.

Club coaches arrived at 4pm Tuesday to set up for training to discover the locks on their storage facility had been wrenched off and six BMX bikes, valued at $4000, along with two new whipper snippers valued at $2000, all missing.

It’s believed the theft took place sometime between 7pm Monday and 4pm Tuesday with two black DK bikes (a “micro” and a “pro”), a red Redline mini, white Redline junior, a blue expert and a black and green DK mini wheeler taken.

If the bikes and whipper snippers can’t be found, then the club will have to fork out thousands to replace them.

Club vice-president Shaun Batty said the loan bikes catered for riders from the age of three to full grown adults, with two of them purchased through a council grant.

A Caboolture BMX Club coach pictured with two of the stolen loan bikes, stolen sometime between 7pm October 17 and 4pm October 18. Picture: Contributed

“I know desperate people do desperate things but I struggle to comprehend, and the committee is the same, to comprehend how anybody can consider breaking into a community not-for-profit organisation and steal children’s bicycles,” Mr Batty said.

“To steal any property is unacceptable but to steal bicycles from children absolutely blows my mind.

“I just cannot get my head around it.

“It’s hard running a club with just a very small number of volunteers.

“To get stuff taken from us is quite depressing for everybody.”

The loan bikes are for new participants who want to give BMX a go but haven’t purchased a racing bike, which can be very expensive.

The theft has prompted the club to purchase CCTV cameras for the club.

Beau Switzer and Robert Gordon at the Caboolture BMX Club which is 281 members strong. Picture :Chris Higgins

“There is council CCTV and that’s being reviewed, the police also came out to the club on Wednesday and found a footprint that may assist with their investigation,” Mr Batty said.

“They (police) feel that whoever came out and took those things, they maybe knew what was in there and had already cased it.”

The 42-year-old club holds coaching sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

“Currently if anybody wants to come along and have a try, and we get enquires all the time, we’re not able to help them,” Mr Batty said.

“They’re just going to have to wait until we source some second hand bikes or we spend club money to buy new ones.

“It’s a great, family-friendly sport and a very welcoming club.’’

Mr Batty said the club had rebuilt membership after Covid-19 and completed a canteen refurbishment.

One of the club’s 281 members Mark Fuller has recently competed at the 2022 BMX Racing World Championships

Anybody with information about the whereabouts of the bikes should contact the Caboolture Police Station on 5490 0555.

For more information head to the Caboolture BMX Club Facebook page.

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said investigations are ongoing.