Police in Romania have recovered the bikes stolen from the Italian national team at the World Track Championships in France last week.
The bikes included the gold Pinarellos of Filippo Ganna and his team mates who won team pursuit gold at the Roubaix Worlds last week and the Tokyo Olympics.
The 22 stolen bikes were packed into a van parked in what was regarded as a secure hotel in Lille before they were due to be driven back to Italy on Saturday.
However, an organised burglary gang made light work of the security measures and last Friday night made off with a total of 22 bikes, which some estimates have valued at about €600,000. Some of the bikes are valued at €30,000 each with 3D printed handlebars worth €10,000.
A total of 21 of the stolen bikes were found yesterday when the police in Romania carried out raids to "combat trafficking and illicit use of high-risk drugs and to identify stolen goods by members of the criminal group".
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Fifteen searches were carried out by Romanian law enforcement in Vrancea County and the bikes were found in one of the properties searched while four suspects were also arrested. You can read the police statement below, just after the police video of the bikes that were seized.
Police statement...
"On 28 October 2021, the police of the Galati - Organized Crime Service Vrancea organized crime brigade organized an action to combat the trafficking and illicit use of high-risk drugs and to identify the assets stolen by members of the criminal group, from the territory of other states.
"Following the action, the police caught them red-handed while they were trying to sell some of the 22 bicycles stolen from France. Subsequently, 14 house searches were carried out on homes and buildings in the county of Vrancea, used by suspects, identified and seized, for research, 21 bicycles stolen from France, as well as 8 interactive screens, a DVR, 10 cell phones, 2 grams of hashish, 13,850 lei and 2,800 euros.
"Following the analysis of the tests administered in the case, the D.I.I.C.O.T. - B.T. Vrancea has ordered the measure of pre-trial detention for 24 hours against the four people, and a proposal for pre-trial detention will be presented to the court of Vrancea.
"The action benefited from the specialized support of the Romanian Police Special Operations Directorate. The activities were attended by police officers from the Vrancea County Police Inspectorate.”
