More than £100,000 worth of bikes have been stolen from a store owned by an Afghanistan war veteran.
The 11 bikes - one-off custom builds - were stolen from the LIOS Bikes store in Lee-on-the-Solent, owned by a former Royal Marine who survived three improvised explosive device blasts.
Steve McCulley was seriously injured and left in a coma for nearly three weeks after surviving the three blasts in Afghanistan in 2011. He needed rehab for three years.
He turned his cycling passion into a business - LIOS Bikes - after coming to terms with the end of his military career.
Despite having taken all possible security precautions, on Saturday morning five people broke into the store using petrol and battery disk cutters to cut through the metal shutters and door.
Dad-of-two Steve has worked tirelessly to build his company and hopes the criminals will be caught.
He said: “We are all utterly devastated by what happened on Saturday. I know I’ll never get the bikes back, as they’re probably already stripped down, but I am hoping that any attention that this gets might help to catch the criminals.”
Businesses in the area and people across the country have already shared the video of the burglary and one of Steve’s former colleagues shared it on his social media.
He said: “Any burglary or theft is horrendous, but this adds another despicable dimension. Steve has spent most of his life in the service of others. These evil people must be brought to justice.”
Another friend and former Royal Marine, Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox said: “These scumbags bust into LIOS Bikes in Lee-on-the-Solent, robber c£100k worth of bikes.
"Place is owned by a friend and former Royal Marine, please reach out if you have any info on this.”
Steve has been supported by the Royal Marines Charity during his surgeries and medical rehabilitation.
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