Community bike group forced to close after shelter is smashed up and amputee’s e-trike stolen

A community bike project in Swansea has been forced to close its e-bike shelter temporarily after it was smashed into and a recumbent e-trike was stolen. Manoah Smiley, a right leg amputee from Mount Pleasant, said he had been left feeling “shattered” after his e-trike – which was being stored at the community shelter- was taken in the early hours of the morning on July 30. Manoah’s partner, Leonie Ramondt, co-ordinates the Mount Pleasant Community ebikes project, a community-led bike-share initiative which began through crowdfunding in 2020.

As well as Manoah’s personal e-trike, two e-bikes and an e-trike belonging to the project are also stored in a bike shelter in Montpelier Terrace, Mount Pleasant. The shelter is equipped with electric charging points and CCTV cameras. But on Sunday, July 30, at 4am, a local resident woke up to a loud crash and soon realised that someone was breaking into the bike shelter.

The resident was unable to get hold of Leonie but called the police. Leonie explained the back of the bike shelter had been “smashed into” and the e-trike was gone. Read more: Positano restaurant closes in Swansea just months after opening in old Juniper Place premises She explained that the e-trike was attached to a rail with a heavy-duty lock but the rail itself was not secured into the ground due to a lack of space.

The e-trike was taken during the break-in with the rail still attached. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here . The bike shelter before the incident (Image: Leonie Ramondt) The back of the shelter had been “smashed” into, said Leonie (Image: Leonie Ramondt) The shelter was broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning (Image: Leonie Ramondt) The other bikes in the shelter were attached to a rail that was secured to the ground and were packed tightly together, blocking access to the e-trike from the front.

” They had come specifically to get [the e-trike] and they carried it out from the back,” Leonie said. The shelter is fitted with CCTV cameras, but they had mysteriously stopped recording 48 hours before the incident. Leonie has now been forced to close the shelter until steps are taken to ensure the bikes are secure again.

Her partner Manoah, who lives with PTSD and depression, is an avid surfer and a member of the Surfability steering group. He had gained a new way to stay active and travel across Swansea when he purchased the e-trike and had hoped to share it with others through a co-operative system. Manoah’s new e-trike had given the couple a lovely way to enjoy social time together as Leonie would join him on bike and trike rides across Swansea, she explained.

The e-bike project was set up as part of Mount Pleasant’s Hub on the Hill project which aims to make Mount Pleasant a healthier and more sustainable community where local residents are able to explore Swansea. Leonie said her fitness had improved since using the bikes regularly and it had given her a new lease of life. Manoah would ride his e-trike out on trips to the coast with his partner Leonie (Image: Leonie Ramondt) Leonie Ramondt and partner Manoah Smiley (Image: Leonie Ramondt) On the future of the bike shelter and the e-bike project, Leonie said: ” I’m exploring options for securing the bike shelter as soon as possible.

The bikes have been used 464 times so far, mostly for longer leisure rides. But there’s lots of scope for more participation. Many of my neighbours don’t begin to realise how quick and enjoyable that little ride to the market or the pool can be on a bike.

” A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “South Wales Police were called at just before 1pm on Sunday 30 th July with a report of the theft of a tricycle from a bike shed on Mountpelier Terrace, Mount Pleasant. Enquiries are ongoing including a search through CCTV and doorbell camera footage in the area. ” A spokesperson for Coastal Housing Group – which had supported the e-bike project – said: “Having supported the Mount Pleasant e-bike scheme with both funding and in-kind support, we were very disappointed to learn it’s been the subject of a break-in.

As a signatory to the Swansea Bay Healthy Travel Charter, Coastal’s committed to active travel and the e-bike scheme is a superb example of a community coming together to provide easy, low-cost access to this. We will of course assist the police in any investigation of the incident. “.