A MAN whose new motorbike was stolen from his driveway three days after he was given it as a birthday present says it feels like a “kick in the teeth.”

Dylan Simpson, of Centre Drive, Epping, was left heartbroken when he realised the £4,500 black and orange KTM 690 Duke was missing last Tuesday.

His wife surprised him with the bike as an early birthday gift just a few days before and he had only ridden it once.

The 23-year-old said: “I’d parked it on the drive and gone inside to have a sandwich, and in that time I realised it was gone.

“It’s got such a sentimental value and I’m really upset. I started running up the road even though I don’t know what it would have achieved.

“I panicked – thought someone was winding me up. I was pretty angry.”

He claims his neighbours saw two young boys run onto the driveway and steal the motorbike before quickly speeding off.

They damaged a Ford Focus parked on the driveway in the melee, which will now need a new wing mirror.

He reported the crime, which took place on July 18 between 1.30pm and 3pm, to the police, who he claims said there is not enough evidence to investigate.

Mr Simpson believes this is a widespread problem and that other motorbike owners in the area have also fallen victim to similar crimes.

He had just come back from travelling the world with his wife – a trip which took him from Greece to India to Australia.

“We don’t have a lot of money having just come back from our travels, but I was so surprised when my wife gave me the bike out of the blue. I was very excited.

“We knew we’d need to get our head back down to work, so this feels like a total kick in the teeth.”

The Epping Forest Guardian has contacted Essex Police for comment.