A Perthshire family has been left shaken after masked robbers evaded a security system to break into their garage and steal an e-bike worth over £10,000.
Jayson Dempsey, his wife Lorna and their two teenage children were asleep when three intruders prised open the metal door of the garage beneath their Scone home, creeping below a level that would set off sensors.
They eventually set off a burglar alarm but footage shows they got in and were actively trying to get through the reinforced garage door for about 20 minutes before being detected.
As well as the Dempsey’s extensive home security, the e-bike was chained and bolted to the garage floor.
Despite this, the intruders managed to flee with the bike and one of the men is seen on exterior video making off on it.
Police were there in 10 minutes but the after-effects of the break-in have been hard on the family.
“I’m gutted,” said dad Jayson (44).
Mum Lorna (45), an early years care inspector, told the PA: “My heart was beating out my chest when the alarm went off and we saw pictures.”
She added that her 17-year-old son was angry and their 13-year-old daughter was so traumatised she has been unwilling to sleep in her own room, which is above the garage, since.
“She now feels unsafe in her own home,” said Lorna.
The family’s security system was triggered at 2.40am on May 27 when an intruder, who had apparently taken care to crouch at a low level to avoid cameras, stood fully upright and triggered a motion sensor.
A man caught on camera is seen with his face covered by a balaclava, holding a torch. A second male is believed to have been in the garage with him.
A third man had been positioned outside as a look-out.
Jayson said: “It’s very upsetting for everyone. I guess the one good thing is they only went for one thing, the bike in the garage. They made no attempt to get into the main house.”
The family home in Hutchison Drive was targeted previously in 2021. Police caught and prosecuted the thieves then.
Following this, Jayson installed cameras, sensors, alarms and took care to tether the e-bike, a Mondraker Model R.
The bike was Jayson’s big hobby.
Over three years of owning it, the SSE control engineer had made numerous modifications to it so that only the frame was original.
Lorna said: “It was his pride and joy. Jayson devoted much time and money to making the bike special.
“The week before it was taken, he went to an Enduro-type bike competition at Glenlivet.
“He was racing in a specialist section for e-bikes. We think he could possibly have been followed home.”
Lorna also heard about an e-bike and a conventional mountain bike being taken from locked farm buildings in Rait last Monday, May 29, just two days after the Dempseys in Scone were targeted.
At Rait the two bikes, a grey 22 Heckler e-bike and a black 21 Megatower mountain bike with red forks, both marked ‘Santa Cruz’ were taken. Together they were estimated to be worth £20,000.
“I feel this break-in may be connected to the recent theft in Rait where two bikes were stolen,” Lorna told the PA.
“Rait is not that far away and the break-in was well executed.”
Anyone with information which could help police with the Scone incident should call 101 quoting the incident CR-0097270-23.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.50am on Saturday, May 27, we received a report of a housebreaking in the Hutchison Drive area of Scone.
“Enquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible.”
