The owner of Pit-Stop Cycle Shop is asking for the public’s help after several ATVs and dirt bikes were stolen from his shop. Around $30,000 worth of merchandise were taken, and it was all caught on camera.
“I’m sitting there watching my life disappear,” says Jerry Martin, the owner of Pit-Stop Cycle Shop.
It turns out one of the burglars accidentally called Martin in the middle of the night.
“It woke me up. I answer the phone, and the name on the caller ID was the guy who had left me his number about the four wheeler. That was at 4:16 a.m. and he said, ‘Hi, I’m out back,’ and so I said, ‘You’re out back of my shop?” says Martin.
That’s when Martin immediately went to his shop and found all his equipment gone.
“And I’m watching five of what looked to be young guys, and they’re just casually pushing out property that doesn’t belong to them and you know, they look like they’re Christmas shopping,” says Martin.
Fortunately, Martin and the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office have found 11 of the 14 stolen items.
“You know, because had I not been lucky enough to recover the things we have, I probably would not have been able to stay in business,” says Martin.
Even then, those were only found after the burglars resold the items, and the buyers reported it to the police.
As a result, Martin is asking buyers to be aware of what they’re purchasing from online sellers.
“I guess I underestimated to a great degree the extent to which a criminal will actually go to achieve what they want, but I realize that fully now. We’re going to do everything humanly possible to protect our property,” Martin says.
The sheriff’s office said they have no leads to who these men are yet.
If you have any information, call and report it immediately at 806-775-1497.
