Police give up chase after motorbikes thrown from truck

Stolen motorbikes were thrown off the back of a moving truck while it was chased by police this morning.

The incident happened after a motorbike shop in Wanganui was robbed at 2am this morning.

Police began following a small truck loaded with bikes and Inspector Steve Darroch said the truck driver refused to stop.

Sergeant Kevin Smith said one robber climbed out of the truck window and began throwing motorcross bikes off the back.

"It can be a bit of a danger when something like that is flying back towards you," Mr Smith said.

He said the bikes were thrown on to a rural road after the truck turned off State Highway Three.

The police car chasing the truck dropped back and was forced to give up the chase after seven more bikes were thrown off the truck blocking the road.

Mr Smith said the bike dealer is doing a stock take to see if any bikes are missing from the shop.

Police have found the abandoned truck on a farm and are looking for at least two offenders, Mr Darroch said.

Mr Smith said one of the offenders is Caucasian in his twenties.