Police and the owner of a Limavady business are appealing for help after a gang ram‑raided premises in the early hours and made off with a haul of high‑value e‑bikes that were later tracked travelling across Northern Ireland, with the last known sighting close to Newry.
What happened
The owner, who has been publicly updating social media since the incident, says thieves forced access to his premises on Aghanloo Industrial Estate during the early hours of Saturday and removed an Ifor Williams bv106 trailer along with a substantial number of newly delivered e‑bikes. Video footage shared by the owner and members of the public has been used to follow the suspects’ movements; the owners say the footage shows the group crossing county lines and travelling into the Newry area before joining the A1 towards Armagh.
- Items taken: 25 Revvi bikes and 14 Aptum 8f e‑bikes (39 e‑bikes in total)
- Trailer: Ifor Williams bv106 trailer, which the owner says was used to carry the bikes
- Estimated loss: approximately £50,000, according to the owner
- Timing: suspects reportedly left the Limavady site at about 3.25am; last publicly shared sighting was shortly before 6am on the A28 at Newry
Owner and public reaction
Following the raid, the owner has been urging anyone who may have the bikes to return them or to provide information to help with recovery. He has said publicly that, because of the attention the theft has attracted, the bikes may be "now too hot to handle" and has appealed directly to those who took them to leave them somewhere safe and contact him with information on where they can be found.
Chief Inspector Adams said: “At approximately 10.40am on Saturday 15th August, it was reported that access had been forced to the premises in Aghanloo Industrial Estate, and damage caused to a shed door and a number of fences. CCTV wires had also been cut. A number of e‑bikes had been taken from the premises, together with an Ifor Williams trailer. Our enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing to anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area at the time of the incident, or in the days leading u”
The chief inspector’s statement, circulated by police, confirms damaged property and that CCTV infrastructure had been deliberately targeted at the scene. The quoted release ends abruptly in the version shared publicly, but it makes clear the force is inviting anyone with information about suspicious activity around Aghanloo or along the route the suspects appear to have taken to come forward.
Where the suspects were seen
Video posted on social media by the owner and members of the public shows a dark‑coloured Transit van towing a trailer, with the convoy recorded at several points en route. The last sighting shared by the owner was shortly before 6am on the A28 at Newry, before the vehicle is understood to have joined the A1.
| Detail | Reported information |
|---|---|
| Number of bikes taken | 39 (25 Revvi; 14 Aptum 8f) |
| Trailer taken | Ifor Williams bv106 |
| Estimated value | About £50,000 |
| Last publicly shared sighting | A28 at Newry, shortly before 6am |
Police appeal and next steps
The PSNI has confirmed enquiries are ongoing. Officers investigating the incident have asked anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the Limavady area at the time, or along roads between Limavady, Markethill, Newry and Armagh, to contact them. The owner has also urged residents and businesses to check CCTV footage facing main roads for any signs of the trailer or vehicles matching the description.
For Newry residents, the case is a reminder of the movement of stolen goods across the region and underlines the role public CCTV and dashcam footage can play in assisting investigations. Those with information are asked to contact police with details, or to provide footage that could assist in locating the missing bikes and trailer.
