A day out in the woods is meant to be just that—a few quiet hours, a walk under the trees, perhaps a cycle before heading home. But for one visitor to Savernake Forest, a Bank Holiday trip ended rather differently.
Wiltshire Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a camper van and two high-value bikes from the Long Harry parking area near Marlborough.
The incident is believed to have taken place between 2.30pm and 6.50pm on Monday 6 April, a window that suggests whoever was responsible had both time and confidence on their side.
The stolen vehicle is a white Peugeot Boxer camper van, fitted with blacked-out windows, a metal roof rack and a ladder mounted on the rear door—features that would make it stand out to anyone paying attention.
Inside were two bicycles, also taken. One is a Santa Cruz 5010 with a blue frame, fitted with Garmin XC silver pedals and multicoloured Burgtec grips. The other, a Specialized Turbo Kenevo Expert, has a black frame with blue Burgtec Rage pedals and matching grips.
It’s the sort of theft that feels particularly brazen given the location. Savernake, with its ancient trees and steady flow of walkers and cyclists, isn’t somewhere you’d necessarily expect this kind of thing to happen in broad daylight. Yet isolated car parks can offer opportunities, especially over busy holiday periods when vehicles are left unattended for hours at a time.
Police are now asking anyone who was in the area that afternoon to think back. Did anything seem out of place? A vehicle moving oddly, people lingering, or activity that didn’t quite fit?
Even the smallest detail could help piece together what happened.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting crime reference number 54260040636, or to get in touch anonymously via Crimestoppers.
For now, it serves as a reminder—however unwelcome—that even the quietest corners aren’t entirely removed from the problems found elsewhere.
