“It would have taken two or three [people] to push one of the heavier bikes.”
She said the couple nearing retirement was “angry” at the loss of the bikes purchased with hard earned money.
One of the bikes was a $27,000 Triumph purchased six weeks ago. A missing Ducati is worth about $13,000-$15,000, she said.
“[We’re] frustrated as we have never had this problem happen to us in Taupiri for 39 years and we’ve recently moved to Huntly and within three weeks, we have the bikes stolen.
“Huntly was our place of choice as it’s nice and peaceful. But Huntly to its reputation didn’t disappoint.”
Husband Tony said it “took ages” to save for the bikes which probably wasn’t “taken into consideration” by the thieves.
“They’re both fob activated so good luck trying to start or sell them and if you go to a dealer for new keys, they will see who the bike is registered to in their system.”
He asked the thieves to return the bikes and the public to help locate them.
Both bikes have distinctive identifying markings: the Ducati has a grim reaper tank protector, a NZ fern sticker on the left-hand side, and a Werks racing exhaust. The Triumph has dog bite markings on the number plate.
Police are asking anyone who saw suspicious activity on Kimihia Road last night, has CCTV footage of the road, or any information that could assist police, to update them online or call 105 using the reference number: 241029/7384.
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.