Charity cycling policeman has new £4,000 bike stolen

A police detective planning a charity ride to Paris this summer has had his £4,000 road bike stolen.

James Rabaiotti, of Pentwyn, Cardiff, was aiming to ride from London to the French capital in aid of Action Medical Research on his brand new white and black Principia C24T Ellipse Integral similar to the one in our picture (although probably not with a set of Lightweight wheels).

But the Danish-made carbon cycle was taken with two other bikes, worth almost £6,000 in total, when thieves broke into his garage.

According to the South Wales Echo, the intruders cut a small hole in the door and managed to open it from the inside. His bikes were hanging on the garage wall.

He said: “I checked the garage at 5.30am and found a hole had been cut in the garage door with what looks like a pair of pincers or a pliers with a sharp edge. They were very fastidious, the garage is locked and everything is secure – these people must have been determined.”

Mr Rabaiotti, a member of AJAX cycling team, had yet to use the Principia he planned to ride to Paris.

He told the Echo: “It was a real luxury, I’d saved up for a long time for it, and that was after doing a lot of research into it.”

Also taken were a grey Specialized Allez Elite Racing bike with red and white trim, and a white Felt QX70 hybrid racing bike.

“I really want to get these bikes back,” said the police officer, who is offering a £300 reward for the bikes’ recovery or any information leading to the thieves’ arrest.

“I know how devastating it is from investigating burglaries myself.”

The father of three added that his neighbour’s garage on Marle Close, which like Mr Rabaiotti’s is in the front garden, also had a hole bored into the door. The neighbour has CCTV footage of two men running away.

South Wales Police confirmed it is investigating and is appealing for any witnesses to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.