Inspector Philip Hinch, Community Inspector for East Riding south is advising cyclist to be aware that thieves are active in the East Riding.
Thieves are specifically active in Beverley and Cottingham with more bikes being stolen.
Inspector Hinch said;
“Cycling has become so popular in the last few years and some people spend a lot of money on their bikes. This makes them even more attractive to thieves who will take advantage of any opportunity to steal bikes to break up or sell on.
“Some of the bikes stolen were locked up at public cycle racks in the town centres as well a number which were taken from gardens and parks in the area. The main areas have been outside Tesco and the leisure centre in Beverley and in and around the Market Place in Cottingham.
“We have identified suspects in connection with a number of offences and are investigating them to try and gather evidence to prosecute offenders. However, I am really wanting to make sure people are aware that cycle thieves are operating in the area and to make sure people do everything they can to secure their bikes and do what they can to prevent them being stolen.
“I am aware that on 8 August a high-value bike full suspension bike that was attached to the back of a cycle rack on the car was stolen when it was parked in the Butcher Row car park in Beverley.
“This bike should have been safe, it was locked and secure but it didn’t stop a thief cutting through the lock, damaging the rack and stealing the bike. We have an investigation underway for this incident and are viewing CCTV and witnesses statements to try and locate the bike and find those responsible.
“Our investigation teams are working on gathering information and intelligence on all of these thefts. When someone calls our 101 system and reports a theft like this we would not normally deploy a police officer as there is no immediate risk of harm to a person, we would take details of the circumstances and assign it to a detective to investigate.
“We know this may be frustrating for victims as they want immediate action but we have to measure this type of crime against others where people are at risk of harm and our limited resources have to be assigned to incidents where there is an immediate risk.
“There will be people in our communities know who are committing these crimes, where the bikes are being stored and sold, I want to hear from anyone who suspects stolen goods are stored or taken somewhere near them.
“Whether you ride as a hobby, or use your bike just to get around, it’s important to spend a bit of time and money keeping it safe and secure. I would advise people to buy a good quality lock and use it, often people spend thousands of pounds on a bike and around £20 on a lock. Use your lock even when your bike’s at home in the garage. It’s all about making it as hard as possible for a thief to take it.
“Never leave it unlocked when you’re not there and think about where you’re leaving it when you are out and about. Make sure the area’s busy and well-lit and lock both wheels and the frame to the stand or railings.
“Think about how you use social media too. If you’re posting your rides or picture of your bike on apps such as Strava, Map my Ride, consider using their security function to block the area around your home so potential thieves cannot track to right back to your own home.
“Try and make things as difficult as possible for people to get access to your possessions and please report thefts to us so we can investigate them and bring those responsible to justice.”
For more information on keeping your bike safe and advice on how to buy second hand with confidence, log on to https://www.humberside.police.uk/issues/cycle-crime
