HEARTLESS thieves struck last weekend when they stole two motocross bikes belonging to one of Bermuda's rising stars who is about to fly to the United States to compete in the prestigious Loretta Lynn's AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships being held from July 30 to August 4 in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.And Melody and Shawn Mitchell were left contemplating the cruelty of whoever took their nine-year-old son's 65 cc motocross bikes from not only the locked facility at the Southside Race Track but also from Shawn's bike business, Added Speed & Accessories behind the Green Lantern in Pembroke.

Their son, Jyire along with his younger brother, six-year-old Senoj, have both qualified for the Loretta Lynn competition which draws the best motocross riders from all over the United States — adults as well as children.

Mother Melody said: "I just do not understand it. These bikes can only be used by kids and I do not for a second believe a child managed to break into a locked area and managed to steal them. It had to be an adult. There were other bikes there but they only took Jyire's bike — from both places."

Father Shawn agreed and said: "I believe it had to be someone who had a truck. It is terrible. It is like (Olympic sailor) Peter Bromby coming back from a race overseas and finding his boat had been stolen."

Both parents feel sure that their son's bikes were specifically targeted. "I just do not know why," said Melody.

Jyire has been thought of very highly in motocross circles. In fact earlier this year he was the youngest athlete ever to be named in the National Junior Athlete Sponsorship Programme.

The Warwick Academy student, who aspires to be Bermuda's first-ever professional motocross rider, was given $4,964 by Government to be used to travel to three overseas events as well as to attend the Gary Bailey MX School and to also purchase a 65 cc KTM Stocked Bike.

Luckily that 65 cc KTM Stocked Bike is left in the United States permanently so he can compete on it when he travels to top events.

Melody said: "I feel that someone is targeting him. In the container at Southside there were eight bikes and the only one taken was the one belong to Jyire.

"And (at her husband's motocross business) they must have used a truck to hook up to the roll-down (door) and then ripped it off and went in. There was nothing else stolen there except Jyire's bike. The money in the till was not taken nor were any other bikes or motocross gear or even bike parts."

Jyire had qualified for the Loretta Lynn competition in the 50 cc class and he was with his father in Pennsylvania last weekend attempting to qualify for the 65 cc class as well. He came 10th and is now an alternate for that class. Except now he cannot practise with the race so close.

"When he came back on Monday he was so excited . . . and then I had to sit him down and tell him that his bikes were stolen. I called my husband up there on the weekend to tell him what happened but I didn't want Jyire to know until he came back."

Father Shawn said: "It is really sad — it hurts. He made it to this event and now someone has stolen the bikes. If anyone knows where the bikes are they can call me at 296-2566 or (Melody) at 335-6693."