Mountain bike champ, 18, devastated as his cycles are stolen from shed
A mountain bike champion has had his prized cycles stolen in a raid on his home.
Thieves stole eight bicycles and one motocross motorbike from a shed at Louis Meade's family home near Meifod, in Mid Wales.
They included the teenager's training bike and his competition bike, which are worth thousands of pounds.
Louis, 18, was crowned junior Welsh mountain bike champion last season and is in the top six in the junior section of the sport in the UK.
Competition has taken him across Britain as well as Austria and Switzerland.
Louis said: "Mum went to the shed last Wednesday and discovered the locks were broken.
"The thieves took eight bikes including my parents' bikes and my brother's new motorbike."
He said the stolen bikes included his racing bike, a black, Solid Strike WC machine and his white training bike. "I am devastated. I simply can't afford this loss."
The two brothers, both students at Llanfyllin High School, hope that by publicising the break-in and sharing it on social media they will track down the culprits.
"We want to make them too hot to handle," Louis added.
The burglars, who smashed locks to get into the shed overnight on December 12/13 also stole his younger brother's motorcross motorcycle.
Felix Meade, 15, was due to take part in an enduro race this weekend but had to pull out.
Dyfed-Powys Police is investigating the thefts and are urging witnesses or anyone who knows about the raid or may have been offered the bikes for sale, to contact them on 101.
They say a large vehicle must have been used to take the bikes.
Police are studying CCTV of a white transit van in the area last week.
