Three motorbikes worth £19,500 have been stolen from a shop.

Thieves targeted Jim Aim Motorcycles, in Swan Street, Sible Hedingham, just after midnight on Friday while people were celebrating the start of the new year.

Alastair Aim, one of the directors of the shop, said: ”What they have done is waited until midnight and then smashed one of the windows at the front.

“They took four bikes out the front window.

“They are competition bikes so they are quite light and easy to lift.

“They have wheeled them up the side of the shop where there is a footpath that leads on to Brook Meadow.

“A van must have been waiting for them to load the bikes into.

“We think they must have been disturbed or something because they left one of the bikes on the forecourt.

“Maybe a car went past and put the wind up them and they’ve just run.

“They took the bikes which were easiest to get out, so I don’t think they were taken to order.”

As the shop was alarmed, Mr Aim, along with the two other directors, all received a phone call when the break-in occurred.

“I was ten miles away at a party, as were the two other directors, so the police were first to arrive,” he said.

“We have CCTV and the people who did it all were wearing black hoodies and balaclavas with nothing distinctive.

“They seemed very well organised and waited specifically for midnight so people were inside and watching the TV.

“People would expect a lot of noise at that time.”

This is the fourth time the shop has been broken into.

Mr Aim said: “It hasn’t become ordinary as such, but if you work in this trade you expect it at some point.

“I was surprised we had gone four years without a robbery.

“Not a week goes past when we don’t hear about someone who has had their bike stolen from their shed or garage.

“One of the bikes had some special parts on it so it’s a bit expensive.

“We can go through our insurance to get the money back but it’s the aggravation.”

He added he wanted to warn people to be vigilant about looking after their bikes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.