Gone in six hours: More than 150 motorbikes stolen from West Auckland warehouse

109 motorbikes like this one were stolen. Photo / Supplied via police

Police are investigating the theft of more than 150 motorbikes from a West Auckland warehouse - a heist that could have taken up to six hours.

The bikes, worth almost $160,000, were stolen on Sunday night or early on Monday morning from a Cartwright Rd warehouse in Kelston.

12 of these bikes were stolen. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Photo / Supplied via police

Police believe the thieves tampered with an alarm to gain entry to the warehouse and remove the bikes, packaged in cardboard boxes on a pallet.

Police said the thieves may have hot-wired a forklift before spending up to six hours carrying out the heist.

15 bikes such as this one were taken in the heist. Photo / Supplied via police

"We need to hear from anyone who was in the Cartwright Rd area between 9 o'clock Sunday night and 4am Monday morning - please get in touch," Detective Shaun Galbraith of Waitakere police said.

"Whoever has done this is obviously going to try and sell them and we need people to be vigilant.

"If you see a bike like this for sale and you suspect it may be stolen, please let us know.

"It's also a warning to anyone who's offered one of these bikes and buys it, you're buying stolen property and you run the risk of being criminally charged," Mr Galbraith said.

30 motorbikes like this were taken from the warehouse. Photo / Supplied via police

Police said the thieves removed the following:

• 30 V-Sport Eurorider moped scooters. Coloured red and white or black and white, each valued at $1500

• 15 Presto 50cc moped scooters. Coloured red or cream or aqua, each valued at $2000

• 12 Pantera moped scooters. Coloured red and white or blue and white, each valued at $2500

• 109 mini quad bikes (child-sized). Coloured red and white, each valued at around $500

• 75 x 4-litre containers of Sinteck motor oil

• A white 2003 Mitsubishi Triton ute (registration BSA579)

The total value of the stolen motorbikes is $159,500.

Anyone with information can contact the Waitakere CIB on 09 839 0600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.