West End thieves steal fundraiser's £3k bike in daylight robbery

BRAZEN thieves have stolen a charity supporter's high-spec bike in broad daylight on a busy West End street less than a week before his big fundraiser.

BRAZEN thieves stole a charity supporters bike in broad daylight on a busy West End street less than a week before his big fundraiser. Brian Gerry is Cycling the Etape Loch Ness & Etape Caledonia for Rainbow Valley because I want to support Rainbow Valley

Yobs ripped Brian Gerry’s £3,000 ride from his roof rack after he parked in Melville Street for a meeting on Monday morning.

The 39-year-old acquisitions manager had bought his pride and joy two years ago after his mum died of cancer and planned to ride it in a Loch Ness event this Sunday.

“I don’t normally take my bike with me, but I was in the West End for two hours – what could possibly go wrong?” he said.

BRAZEN thieves stole a charity supporters bike in broad daylight on a busy West End street less than a week before his big fundraiser. Brian Gerry is Cycling the Etape Loch Ness & Etape Caledonia for Rainbow Valley because I want to support Rainbow Valley

“I came out and had to do a double take. My bike was gone and they’d broken the roof rack and snapped off the padlock.”

Mr Gerry only took his bike to work because it was due a service ahead of the 66-mile Etape Loch Ness this weekend and he had no time before the meeting.

He took on the challenge in aid of cancer charity Rainbow Valley after both his mother Jean and his wife Lynsay’s mum Sheena died of the disease aged 53.

BRAZEN thieves stole a charity supporters bike in broad daylight on a busy West End street less than a week before his big fundraiser. Brian Gerry is Cycling the Etape Loch Ness & Etape Caledonia for Rainbow Valley because I want to support Rainbow Valley

“This is why I am raising money for Rainbow Valley,” he said. “What they do is great and our mums would have loved it.”

The father-of-three has been left with no alternative but to fork out for a new bike so he can still join the race.

Mr Gerry said he believed an eagle-eyed passer-by may have spotted youths with his bike after it was stolen and posted photos of them on the I Love Leith Facebook page.

Copies have been passed to police in the hope of tracking down his bike.

“I’d just like to thank people on the I Love Leith page,” he said. “They’ve been really, really helpful, some even donating to my Justgiving page.”

Mr Gerry is now urging anyone who might know where his bike is to contact police so he can be reunited with his transport.

“When I bought the bike it was right after my mum passed away and I did a couple of cycles that year for pancreatic cancer research – specifically because of that,” he said. “I’d had the bike a couple of years and it had that attachment. It’s not just about the money.”

The Evening News reported earlier this month how the Capital was in the grip of a cycle crime wave, with 2,000 cases reported in the nine months up to January.

Police confirmed officers were investigating after Mr Gerry’s black-and-red Scott Carbon road bike was stolen between 9.30am and 12.50pm on Monday.

A youth was seen cycling off in the direction of Princes Street on the bike. He was wearing a light blue hooded top and dark blue tracksuit bottoms and trainers.

He was with another youth on another bike who was wearing dark tracksuit trousers, a black hooded jacket and carrying an Adidas rucksack.

To support Brian’s fundraising ride visit his Justgiving page.