![BEWARE: Motorbikes similar to this one are being stolen in broad daylight across the Hunter then sold cheaply. BEWARE: Motorbikes similar to this one are being stolen in broad daylight across the Hunter then sold cheaply.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-7sBVw3Ku4m48ncBqEY3Yri/a43c8228-49dc-42c9-8d79-ad88ab2abfda.jpg/r0_17_334_197_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Reports of recent trailbike thefts across the Hunter may not come as a surprise to Cessnock motorbike owners.
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Fairfax Media reported last week that an insatiable demand for cheap trailbikes is pushing thieves to perform daylight raids on motorcycle businesses and midnight blitzes on storage sheds across the Hunter.
Cessnock Motocross Club secretary Alana Hartwig said although she had not heard of any thefts in the Hunter Valley recently, it was a recurring problem.
“It comes in droves,” she said.
“It’s still going on, just not in our area at the moment.”
The Cessnock Motocross Clubhouse is a regular target. Ms Hartwig said thieves attempt to break in three-to-six times a year, which had prompted the club to install security cameras on the premises.
She said thieves were after a quick buck by selling the stolen bikes at extremely reduced prices and that they used crafty methods to get their hands on bikes.
She said she had heard of thieves following people home and using sources such as Gumtree to coax bike owners into meeting with them so they could source their location.
They then either take the bike for a test ride and don’t come back or figure out where the bikes are stored and come back later.
“They’re doing it when people are home,” she said. That’s how game these people are. It takes a lot of [gall] to do something like that.”
She said she believed the thieves were repeat offenders and punishments were too soft so did not deter them from stealing again.
“It’s disgusting, it’s appalling and it’s sad,” she said.
“The penalties aren’t harsh enough for what they do.”