FOUR high-powered motorbikes, helmets and leather jackets worth a total of £20,000 were stolen in an overnight raid on a Bolton bike dealership.

Police say raiders disabled alarms before wheeling the bikes into a waiting van from the showroom of Lythgoe Motor Cycles in Thynne Street.

The bikes stolen were two X-registered Aprilia RSVs, a Yamaha R1 and a Kawasaki ZXR9. Thieves also escaped with a quantity of helmets, worth around £300 each.

But detectives are now hoping to trace one of the bikes from its distinctive handpainted chassis design.

DC Mike Hughes of Bolton CID said: "One of the bikes is unique in its colouring. It has a special paint job and has been individually crafted. It is the only one like it in the country.

"It is a very serious burglary and it would appear to be a well planned. They knew what bikes to get and where the alarms were. We believe that they might be bike enthusiasts themselves."

Raiders broke in through the roof between 6pm on Wednesday and 8am on Thursday before entering a workshop. From there they forced entry into the showroom through roller shutter doors after ransacking offices and disabling alarms.

Police say the thieves wheeled the bikes through the workshop and out through a emergency exit to a van.

Managing director Robert Lythgoe appealed for anyone with information to contact police.

He said: "It is a big blow to us. It has been so professionally done."

Anyone who can help the police can contact them on 0161 872 5050 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. One of the stolen bikes