Millions of pounds worth of bicycles stolen last year

The theft of bikes from sheds, schools, streets and stations is a growing trend across the country, says the British Transport Police.

Last year 5,318 bikes were stolen with an estimated value of over £1.5million were stolen from Britain’s train stations alone.

In response British Transport Police (BTP) arrested 1,381 people last year, and today, Tuesday 9 December, the force is holding a national day of action to raise awareness of the issue.

During today’s day of action, teams of officers will be holding cycle surgeries at Reading and Wokingham stations, where they will be handing out leaflets and crime prevention advice to commuters, as well as offering security marking for commuters’ bikes.

A number of operations and patrols will carried out by officers from BTP and Thames Valley Police at peripheral stations throughout the dayOfficers regularly carry out covert and high-profile policing operations to catch cycle thieves in the act and work closely with Home Office police forces to share information and manage offenders, and work with stations and train operators to ‘design out crime’ or ‘target harden’ at cycle hubs or racks to make it more difficult for thieves to steal.

The majority of bikes stolen from the railway network last year were not secured correctly or had substandard locks.