Czech bike manufacturer Bike Fun International (BFI) - the company behind the Superior and Rock Machine bike brands - announced on 8 February that a large quantity of Shimano components had been stolen from a truck. The incident took place on the night of 21 January. The police suspect that professionals were at work, as the perpetrators were meticulous.
The investigators assume that the perpetrators had followed the lorry on its way to the Czech Republic until the driver took a break at a German motorway service area. The thieves then used anaesthetic gas to incapacitate the driver in the vehicle cabin.
Another indication that they were professionals: the perpetrators only stole the boxes containing the most expensive components. Nine boxes with cheaper Shimano components were left behind in the lorry. The suspected professional thieves then used a fire extinguisher to cover their tracks.
It is a bitter blow for Bike Fun International. As a result of this incident, ten thousand bikes allegedly cannot be assembled and delivered. Customers who have already placed an order are said not to be affected. BFI still has enough stock for this. However, in the near future, some models of the Superior and Rock Machine brands will be Delivery times of up to one year have.
The head of the supply chain at BFI, Petr Krkoska, also commented on the brazen robbery: "We have never had a situation like this before. Shimano has also never experienced such a targeted offence." They also want to publicise the robbery in order to warn other parts producers and bike manufacturers, as nobody is safe from it.
