A TEENAGER’S £600 bike was stolen from a Worcester retail park despite being locked up a couple of yards from where he was working – and right in front of a CCTV camera.

Jamie Phelps, aged 17, had even invested in a £30 “tamper-proof” lock but it was still not enough to prevent the theft, which happened in daylight.

He also had a bike stolen from outside the Vue cinema in January after it had been chained to railings again in full view of CCTV cameras.

He replaced it with a £600 Specialized Rockhopper and bought an expensive D-lock to secure it.

But after locking the bike up outside Dunelm Mill in Elgar Retail Park, Blackpole, on Thursday he was heartbroken when a hooded thief broke the lock and rode off.

Jamie’s mum Wendy said she is disillusioned by the situation and doesn’t know what more her son could have done.

Mrs Phleps said: “We were told that this lock was as safe as possible, but it still wasn’t enough.

“The bike was his pride and joy, worth £600, but I now have suggested he gets a worthless bike as it is obviously not worth working hard to get what you desire just for some thief to come along and help themselves. This is the second time he’s had a bike stolen, the first one was stolen from outside the cinema, chained to a cycle rack in full view of CCTV cameras.”

Mr Phelps, of Plough Croft, Warndon Villages – a student at Worcester Sixth Form College who works part-time at Dunelm Mill, said: “Its unbelievable.

“I should be able to claim for it on the house insurance but it is really annoying that I cannot lock a bike up in a sensible safe place and not have it stolen.”

Police are investigating the theft, which took place at about 1pm last Thursday, and officers are studying CCTV footage from the scene.

A police spokesman said: “The offender was wearing white trousers and a grey hooded top.

“We would like to hear from anyone who saw anything or has been offered a bike for sale in suspicious circumstances.”

Anyone with information can call police quoting 360S/291009.