A REWARD of £1,000 is being offered after thieves smashed their way into a motorcycle showroom and stole off-road bikes and equipment worth about £18,000.

The gang used a wooden railway sleeper to force their way into NTB Racing, on the Windmill House Industrial Estate, in Sutton Road, Wigginton, near York.

Detectives investigating the raid are liaising with colleagues from South Yorkshire as there may be a link with similar previous robberies.

The thieves appeared to know exactly what they were after before they entered the showroom, overnight, between last Wednesday and Thursday.

The bikes taken included a 2002 model Husaberg FC470 in blue and yellow; a Honda CR125 in red with a black tank and N-style graphics; two KTM motorcycles - one an EXC200 Enduro-style off-roader in orange and black with an FMF exhaust, and the other a KTM SX380 in orange and black with a new Doma exhaust; a Malaguti Grizely RX10 50cc child's motorcycle in yellow with graphics, registered in 2003.

Also taken were hundreds of pounds worth of specialist equipment and clothing including boots, helmets, gloves and goggles.

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Louise Ewles through the Incident Management Unit at York Police Station on (01904) 631321.