Downham Market woman furious after nine-year-old grandson's bike stolen and damaged

The double-theft of a nine-year-old’s bike has left his grandmother furious.

Vicky Somerton, who lives in Downham, cannot understand why thieves have pinched the bicycle twice in a matter of weeks.

It first “went walkabouts” just over a month ago after the youngster placed it down the side of his family home, but was found ten minutes from that site.

However, just one week later it went missing again - and only re-surfaced earlier this week, dumped in a Downham park.

Ms Somerton and her family quickly drove to the scene to pick it up, but were left aghast to find its seat and handlebars had been damaged.

“It’s a bit of a wreck really. So we’ve got to re-do it all,” she said.

“I don’t know what it is about the people in Downham Market. If you’ve got something, they want it.”

Ms Somerton and her family, who she wished to remain anonymous, have no idea as to who was behind the thefts.

However, they believe a grown man was spotted riding it away from their home on the first occasion.

They have not contacted police for assistance as they believe little can be done now that the bike has been found.

It was a Christmas present for her nine-year-old grandson back in late 2021, and Ms Somerton says she wouldn’t hesitate to give the offenders a piece of her mind.

She added: “He was devastated. He was so excited when we found it where it was, and then when he got on it and said ‘that’s wrecked’... he was

absolutely gutted.

“He won’t let his bike go, he absolutely loves it.

“I don’t understand why they do it. The times are hard for everybody, we understand it.

“But to be picking a bike off a kid, it’s not fair, is it?”

The family will now have to pay to have the bike repaired, although they say that luckily it will only require a “patch-up job”.