Gutted Edinburgh tourists’ dream trip cut short by thieves after just one night

Two Edinburgh tourists have been left devastated after their motorbikes were stolen during their highly-anticipated trip around Scotland.

Tomas Tyser, from Czech Republic, and his pal saved for over one year ahead of their journey to Scotland – spending a fortune on bikes and equipment. The pair had planned to spend 12 days travelling around the country – but the trip was cut short once they arrived in Edinburgh as thieves struck on their first night north of the border.

The tourists had arrived in the Scottish capital on May 20 for the second night of their trip. Tomas claims their bikes were taken from their hotel – Parkview Hotel – while they were asleep. They have since been forced to end their trip early due to their equipment, food and clothes being in the motorbike boxes.

Read More: West Lothian M8 rush hour crash triggers huge tailbacks and delays for drivers

Read More: Scottish family issues stark warning over illicit breeders after beloved puppy dies

Police Scotland officers have since confirmed that they are aware of the theft of two bikes from Hermitage Place and that enquiries are ongoing.

Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Tomas said: “We were planning a 12-day trip across beautiful Scotland and had spent a year planning and saving for the trip. We spent a lot of money on bikes, equipment etc. On Sunday, May 19, we arrived in Hull with our bikes.

“We had planned to drive around 350km every day, find somewhere to eat and sleep and visit some historical sites in the area. Edinburgh was only our second stop. We had booked a room at Parkview Hotel. They had private parking and CCTV so we thought we were being as safe as we could be, but the next morning, the bikes were gone.”

After making the gutting discovery, Tomas immediately called the police. The pair were then forced to rent a car to continue their trip to Aberdeen, since their hotels had already been booked.

He said: “We called the police and after a few hours, they called back and we booked a phone interview in with them. We had to continue our trip to Aberdeen because we had already paid for our hotel there but we had to rent a car because of the theft.

“Because all of our food, equipment, food and clothes were in the motorcycle boxes, we decided not to carry on with the trip and were forced to leave the UK. It’s one thing to steal the bike from someone local who is still able to go home, but it’s another thing to take it from someone who is thousands of miles from home and ends up staying on the street without almost anything.”

Join Edinburgh Live’s Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.15am on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, officers received a report of the theft of two motorbikes on Hermitage Place, Edinburgh. Enquiries are ongoing.”