MOTOCROSS bikes worth £20,000 have been stolen from a private workshop in Westcliff.

Darren Redman, 35, of Gainsborough Drive, Westcliff, is offering a £3,000 reward to get his prized bikes back.

Mr Redman has been a motocross rider for 28 years and the three stolen bikes belonged to him, his wife Emma, 34, and father-in-lawMick Day, 50.

The thieves got away with a four-year-old red Honda CRF 150, a 2004 Yamaha YZ250 and a Yamaha YZ450 from 2015.

Mr Redman said: “I’ve ridden all over the country and across Europe, so all three were decent bikes.

“I’m putting up a £3,000 reward for any information that leads to them being returned.

“Theywere all chained together in our workshop and the thieves even used one of our own hacksaws to get through one of the locks.

“They smashed the gates into the workshop and the padlock as well. They seemed to knowwhat they were doing.

“It was about 3am in the morning and we were all at home so I’m surprised we didn’t hear anything.”

Mr Redman added: “Apparently they broke in the first time, rode two bikes away and then came back for the third.

“There were helmets and tools in the workshop, but they didn’t take any of those, just the bikes.

“We’ve been hearing some people in the motorsport world had been followed home after riding at a track in Basildon, so maybe they knew what they were going to find.”

Following the theft, Mr Redman has heard reports the bikes are being ridden around the Cluny Square area of Southend.

He added: “It’s happening a lot with motocross bikes at the minute, but I thought they’d be taken far away to be sold.

Mr Redman has informed police about the break in and is asking people to be on the lookout for his bikes.

A police spokesman said: “Police received a report a wooden workshop at an address in Gainsborough Drive, Westcliff, had been broken into sometime between 8pm on Monday, April 13 and 7.30am on Tuesday, April 14.

“The doors were damaged and three motocross bikes stolen – a red Honda, a Yamaha YZ250 and a blue Yamaha YZ450F. Gates at the property were jimmied open.

“Anyone with information is asked to call Southend police station on 101.”