Another raid at Hamsterley bike shop

A BICYCLE shop blighted by repeated break-ins has been struck again.
Wood 'n Wheels at Redford, in Hamsterley Forest, was raided in the early hours of last Tuesday morning (January 31).
Owner Martin Stout said the crooks broke in through the front door before making off with tools and bike accessories.
“We’re going to have to replace the top of the front door and make some structural repairs to the cabin,” said Mr Stout.
“All up, there is probably about £3,000 worth of damage – it’s just annoying.”
The store opened in 2006 to provide keen bikers with hi-tech equipment.
But the cabin has been struck by thieves several times in the past decade.
“We thought maybe they’d decided to give it a rest,” added Mr Stout.
“There is only so much you can do. The shop is still open for now but my insurance has got so much because of the previous break-ins that I might as well pay for the damage myself.
“People think we’re rolling in it but we are just about paying staff wages every year.”
An ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition) system and enhanced CCTV have been touted as possible solutions.
Alex McLennan, from the Forestry Commission, said the shop had been broken into eight times during his 12 year tenure.
“It’s been something that’s happened for many years – it seems to happen in spates,” he said.
“We really want to stop anti-social behaviour in the forest – it’s not a big problem but sadly for some people this shop is there to be broken into. It’s a great shame.”
Mr McLennan said an ANPR system would make a big improvement to the forest’s security. He added: “We’ve had plans to have one for quite a while – it’s a really good system and we will be able to view it from anywhere in the country 24 hours a day.
“We think it will be one of our biggest fundamental changes – we’ve had other things like people forging notes to the lady in the ice cream van but that goes with having a tourist attraction.
“Hopefully people will start to realise they cannot come here and do anything.”
Mr Stout said his firm and the Forestry Commission had a “very sympathetic” relationship but that was as far as it went. CCTV footage is being studied by police and investigations are ongoing.
A suspicious person was also spotted by residents in the early hours of Tuesday.
If you have information which could help, call police on 101 and ask for the Bishop Auckland office.