A HEARTLESS thief left a Clydebank youngster distraught after snatching this prized BMX bike he got for Christmas in front of his eyes.


Colin Crawford, 11, went into the Hungry Bite shop in Dalmuir on Sunday and when he came out he saw a man stealing his £200 BMX Voodoo bike.


He shouted to let the thief know it was his, but the man ignored him and and rode off.


The Our Lady of Loretto pupil was distraught by the loss of his present and his family are appealing to locals to help police catch the culprit.


Colin’s mum, Jayne, said: “He went out of the shop and the man was just standing there. Colin was screaming ‘that’s my bike!’ but he just looked at him and went off.


“That’s inhumane to me. I don’t understand any adult grown man who would do that. He knew it belonged to a kid.


“The issue isn’t the bike – I can buy another bike. It’s the state he left my son in. He was screaming coming home, he could hardly speak.


“If it is was a kid that had stolen it, that’s bad enough – but that it was a grown man? That’s not acceptable.”


Jayne, of Burns Street, Dalmuir, said her son bought a bike lock out his own Christmas money because he likes to cycle to school, but had forgotten to lock it when he nipped into the shop at about 12.10pm.


She hopes local people will help identify the thief before he targets any other children.


Colin’s granddad, Kenneth Arundel, said the youngster “ran home with tears streaming, terrified to tell his mum, disorientated and distraught” after the theft.


He said: “This is the time we live in. What a way to destroy a young person’s look on life.”


The suspect is described as 6ft, red-headed man, thought to be in his late 20s or early 30s.


He was wearing grey shorts with a black section at the bottom and a grey jumper. He was also wearing glasses.

He was spotted with bike later on Sunday afternoon at Dalmuir Park, heading towards Mountblow.


Anyone with information is asked to call Clydebank Police on 101.