Stolen ebike gut-wrenching for Mountain Bike Rotorua

Footage of the ebike being stolen from Mountain Bike Rotorua. Photo / Supplied

The "super casual" theft of a 2019 Giant Trance Ebike worth $6300 from Mountain Bike Rotorua has been gut-wrenching for staff.

Mountain Bike Rotorua owner Tak Mutu said a man decided he wanted a bike, walking on to the Mountain Bike Rotorua property on Waipa State Mill Rd during late morning on Tuesday.

The man walked over to where Mountain Bike Rotorua's rental bikes and helmets were stored, grabbed a helmet, put it on, and jumped on a bike and rode off.

"It was super casual - it was like it was nothing, like he was meant to be there."

Mutu said Mountain Bike Rotorua did a stocktake every day, and on Tuesday they could not find the bike.

He said staff realised it was possibly stolen about 7pm and went through the camera footage which showed the man taking off with the gear.

Mutu said generally they had been pretty lucky out there.

"We've got a tight community here. Most people know we are locals who own the shop."

He said this latest theft was the third instance of people stealing from Mountain Bike Rotorua, and both previous times the company had got the bikes back.

"It's a bugger it has happened again, it's just gut-wrenching. It's a $6300 bike so it's not ideal."

Footage of the ebike being stolen from Mountain Bike Rotorua. Photo / Supplied

Mutu said the bike would be useless once the battery went flat because there were security measures to protect individual bikes.

He said these bikes were hard to get hold of because they were so in demand, and there were currently none left in the country.

"We are a bike down and the money for that bike comes straight from our pocket.

"We are hoping someone sees the bike. There aren't that many, especially that size or kind, around."

Mutu said if people saw the man, knew him or came across the bike, to get in touch with the police first and foremost, and then with their team.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the theft had been reported to police on Tuesday and inquiries were ongoing.