A BUSINESSMAN has raised concerns about high levels of theft after catching a man on CCTV stealing his bike.

Courier business owner Jack Zorzi captured footage on his home security cameras showing a man gingerly approaching his bike then taking it and casually riding away on it.

The theft happened in broad daylight.

The Raleigh bike, which Mr Zorzi said is worth up to ÂŁ100, was taken from a garage yard behind his home in Abbey Close, Peacehaven, on Thursday at about 12.30pm.

The 28-year-old said: “I normally use the bike every day and was shocked because I now don’t feel safe, even in Peacehaven.

“I won’t trust anybody from now on.

“I was ready to get my bike and leave for work and saw it was missing.

“The garage which he took it from was not on a public road so this man has come on to private property. It was a purposeful act. I was in the house working when it happened.

“I got in touch with the police by email because they put the phone on hold for about 20 minutes.

“It is just horrible because this guy was just a normal guy carrying a shopping bag.

“You never think that someone like him could steal your bike.”

Mr Zorzi has shared the CCTV footage on social media and is calling on residents to keep an eye out for his bike.

While Mr Zorzi was at work in December last year, before his bike was taken, he also caught two women on his CCTV meddling with his bike.

He believes the two women only stole the LED lights from his bike on that occasion and said he didn’t post that incident to social media or report to police because it was a minor loss.

He has now voiced his concerns about crime spreading from Brighton into nearby towns such as Peacehaven.

Mr Zorzi said: “I moved here from Brighton because I thought it was going to be safer.

“In the last two months there have been three similar crimes in my road.

“As soon as police have video evidence, they should do something to solve this.

“My girlfriend is sometimes at home by herself and is really concerned about forgetting to lock the door.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “A thief who stole a bicycle from outside a house in Peacehaven was captured on CCTV boldly riding off on it.

“Anyone who recognises the man or who may have seen the bike is asked to report online at sussex.police.uk/appealresponse or call 101 quoting serial 493 of 12/01.”