THIEVES keep targeting the bike of a Welshpool firefighter which has now been stolen three times.

Matt Roberts, a crew manager at the town's fire station had his bike taken shortly before 7pm on Sunday where it was chained up outside Rikki Lloyd's butchers in Welshpool.

This bike was donated to him by a neighbour after his original bike was stolen, yet this bike has now been a target of light-fingered thieves on three separate occasions.

Matt said: "I use the bike to respond to fire calls from my place of work to Welshpool Station where I am a crew manager.

"The culprit clearly knew what they were doing as they approached from the alley between signatures and Rik's, then cut the lock and wheeled it backwards without setting foot in the light where the CCTV is.

"It's very frustrating as it's not the first time. Chains and padlocks are not cheap and with money being tight for everyone at the moment I'm not sure when I'll be able to afford another one.

"The bike allows me valuable thinking time as a crew manager to arrange crew and get a picture of the incident by enabling me to get to the station much faster and easier than when I used to run from the butchers.

"The last time it was stolen I found it leaning up against somebody's house up mount street, knocked the door and windows but nobody answered so I took it back.

"Firefighter Nick Andreou has also had his bike that he uses for attending incidents stolen within the last month or so from the rear of Andrew's chip shop."

Matt says he has reported the theft to Dyfed-Powys Police.