POLICE are investigating a double break in after a trailer and £20,000 worth of bikes were stolen. 

Cumbria police were called to reports that a trailer had been taken from South Lakes Tree Surgeons in Ulverston along with £20,000 worth of specialist mountain bikes from Velo Bikes in Ulverston. 

After stealing the trailer from the Tree Surgeon's yard, the suspects have then driven a dark coloured Volvo V70 estate car to Velo Bikes.

At least three men wearing hooded tops and hats have peeled off the steel on the outer skin of the door, cut a hole in the door and climbed through.

The suspects have then filled up the trailer with the bikes. 

The incident occurred at 9.15pm on Thursday October 15. 

Lee Rayton , manager at Velo Bikes in Ulverston, said: "It is just a case of whether anyone has seen them but we have put pictures on our Facebook page of all the bikes. 

"When the alarm went off my dad and brother went down there and found a hole had been cut in the back door and the bikes had gone. They arrived within six minutes of the alarm going off so they must have been quick."

CID, Darren Henderson, said: "It is probably safe to say that the suspects had some knowledge of the area, especially in relation to the trailer being stolen from the Tree Surgeons. 

"We don't know if there was only one vehicle or if another was used but we are looking at whether they might have stopped to fill up or stopped for some food or drink."

"There must have been quite a lot of noise with the cutting so someone might have heard that or seen someone walking around with tools." 

Katie Canboy, manager at Velo Bikes in Grizedale, said: "It would be lovely to get the guys caught. There have been a lot of mountain bike thefts recently. You can strip them down to parts and they are worth quite a lot of money. Once they are on the back of a trailer you can't tell whose they are."  

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cumbria police on 101.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.