A family is in shock today after the theft of two speedway bikes worth thousands of dollars from an address in West Auckland overnight.
Michael Patey, 27, was due to race in the Avondale Solo Summer Cup this afternoon but the custom-made bikes built by his father were stolen by thieves just after 12.30am.
Mr Patey, who travelled from Hawke’s Bay yesterday told 1 NEWS, if the bikes, worth about $30,000 are not recovered he will not be able to race again.
“My mum and dad dropped everything for my motorcycle racing over the past few years - they’ve poured everything into my motorsport.
“My dad built those bikes and my parents who are now retired have invested every little bit into racing,” he said.
“I can’t afford to replace them.”
Security camera footage from the front neighbours house shows a car pulling up outside the property at 12.24am.
Two people then got out and shortly afterwards signalled the driver of the car to reverse down the driveway where the thieves then pulled the trailer onto the car which then drove away.
The entire theft took only 10 minutes.
The family are staying with Mr Patey’s sister in Massey, and there were five adults in the house at the time of the theft as well as two young children.
“It’s a bit of a shock to me pretty much,” Mr Patey said, “I have raced in Auckland for over 10 years and this has never happened.”
One of the bikes in particular holds sentimental value as it has an engine from a bike used by Kiwi motorcycle legend Ivan Mauger whom Mr Patey’s father also built bikes for.
Mr Patey, who has won a number of awards for and has been speedway racing since he was 15 years old, says he’s hoping to have the bikes back so he can compete in next month’s New Zealand Solo Grand Prix.
“It’s pretty much the biggest event of the year,” he says.
Police told 1 NEWS they are making inquiries into the theft.
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