In October 1997 my eldest son's cycle was stolen from outside Cycleworks, Lawrence Street. In March this year our garage was broken into and both my sons' cycles were stolen - two very expensive mountain bikes.

Last week my eldest son locked his cycle in the car park of the Viking Moat House Hotel, only to return after his shift at the hotel to find half of it missing (forks, seat, handle bars etc).

Yesterday, to put the icing on the cake, his prized mountain bike was stolen from outside Blockbusters Video, Hull Road.

Both my sons have part time jobs and spend all their hard earned money, and Christmas and birthday cash on upgrades and extras for their bikes.

As a single parent I cannot afford to keep replacing bike after bike. So, apart from expressing my disgust, dismay and disillusionment at the mentality of these people, who can so easily take what my children worked so hard for, I want to let these thieves know they have finally won.

We cannot provide an endless supply of cycles for them to take.

Now some other family will have to become the victims of crime, because we will not be replacing the cycles.

The thieves have certainly destroyed any trust I may have had in other people's honesty.

Ms S Johnson,

Pinelands Way,

Osbaldwick.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.