Daniel Raffaele said the family’s two mountain bikes were locked and secured to a bike rack, fitted on the back of his van in Woodburn Way on Tuesday night.

The family – who are well known in the Tamworth cycling circles – had a ride planned and locked the bikes, hiding them from view in the driveway on Tuesday night.

But the locks didn’t deter thieves who struck sometime between 10.30pm on Tuesday and 5.30am on Wednesday.

“We’re devastated,” he told The Leader.

“We just want people to keep an eye out, anyone that might see them, we just want to get them back.”

The Specialized Epic and a Specialized Stumpjumper – worth several thousands of dollars – are mostly black in colour.

It comes just a day after a men’s Trek roadbike was taken from East Tamworth.

Thieves stole the bike from an East Tamworth home between 9.45pm on Monday and 5.45am on Tuesday.

Police said the bike was black in colour, and size 60. 

Anyone with information on the thefts, or the location of the bikes, is urged to contact Tamworth police on 6768 2999.