Police are warning cyclists to be on the alert after a spate of bicycle thefts from streets across South Gloucestershire last month.
Thieves have targeted bikes left outside leisure centres, youth clubs and shops in areas as diverse as Bradley Stoke, Staple Hill, Stoke Gifford, Thornbury and Yate.
Police have stepped up patrols and are liaising with local bike shops and cycle clubs to encourage them to pass on security advice.
Community Safety Inspector Gerry Treacy said:
“Officers have found many of the stolen bikes were left unlocked, while in a few cases thieves have cut through inferior security chains.”
“Thieves also break into sheds and garages to take bicycles, so make sure outbuildings are sturdy with ‘Sold Secure’-quality anchor-points, bolts and locks.”
“A key problem is that fewer than 15 per cent of cyclists can give us enough details to identify their bike.”
Asked where in Bradley Stoke bike thefts had occurred, a police spokesperson told The Journal:
“We have had one report of a bike stolen on Thursday 18th August at about 2:15pm after being left unlocked outside an supermarket in Fox Den Road, Stoke Gifford.”
“It’s a silver Mongoose mountain bike with disc brakes.”
Police recommend the following steps to keep your cycle safe:
- Always secure your bike to a solid structure with a ‘Sold Secure’-quality lock and chain – check out www.soldsecure.com
- Lock it to an anchor point within your shed
- Chain quick-release wheels to the bike frame and an anchor point
- Mark it with your postcode/house number, keep a record of the frame number and take a photograph
- Use an ultraviolet or DNA-based security solution
- Register your bike on the free secure immobilise database www.immobilise.com
Officers also have a warning for people buying cycles second-hand: don’t get caught out. If you buy a bike which turns out to have been stolen, you could be arrested for handling stolen goods – and even if you bought it in good faith, you will lose the bike and the cash you paid for it.
Related links:
- Police in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)
- Walking and Cycling in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)
