Received from my police contacts today:
Christopher Gregory (Police, Corporate Communications Officer, Hampshire)
We are urging cyclists to use good quality D-locks to protect their bikes, following a rise in thefts in Basingstoke.
Since Tuesday 15 August, we have received reports of 13 thefts of bikes that were stolen from the town centre area.
The majority of the thefts took place during daylight hours in the afternoon. Often the bikes stolen were targeted because they were insecure or secured with inadequate locks.
Officers from Basingstoke Safer Neighbourhoods Team are working hard to catch those responsible and raise awareness about bike security.
Extra patrols will be carried out in the town centre in the coming weeks.
Officers will also visit bike stands in the town centre on Thursday 31 August and Friday 1 September to offer advice to cyclists about how best to secure their bikes.
The team also worked with colleagues from British Transport Police on Wednesday 23 August to mark bikes and hand out D-locks at Basingstoke railway station.
Sergeant Trevor Taylor said: “We want to make Basingstoke as safe a place as possible for cyclists to ride their bike without the fear of it being stolen.
“As well as increasing our patrols and promoting crime prevention advice, we want people to send us any information they may have about stolen bikes.
“It may be tempting to share information, such as CCTV pictures, on social media – but we would urge people to contact us on 101. If incidents aren’t reported to us, then we cannot build up a picture to tackle this issue.
“We are also keen to hear from anyone who has been offered a bike for sale recently in suspicious circumstances.”
Anyone with information on bikes thefts in the town should call 101, quoting 44170323800.
If you see someone acting suspiciously around bike sheds or racks, or see a crime in action, please call 999.
Cyclists can help secure their bikes by using the following advice:
• always use a good quality cycle lock when securing your bike. Details of recommended products can be found at soldsecure.com
• always secure bikes to a stand, or, if not available, a static object such as a lamppost or railing
• mark your bike with your postcode and house number as a deterrent and a way of helping police with identifying recovered property
• register your bike at immobilise.com
• remove detachable lights before a thief does
• consider replacing quick release levers with a security bolt or remove the accessory when leaving the bike
• keep a note of the bike frame number, and store a digital photo of the bike in a safe place, to help police when recovering stolen property
