Police Warn Of Bicycle Thefts in Newcastle

FOLLOWING a recent theft of a bicycle in the Kinghill area of Newcastle, police are urging owners of bicycles to put crime prevention measures in place to protect their property against theft. They say that too many bicycles are left unattended and unsecured across the area. By introducing a few crime prevention measures, owners can help to stop bicycle thefts taking place, which in turn will make the area where they live safer. It only takes a few seconds to steal a bicycle so it is important that cyclists make full use of bicycle locks, and secure their bikes properly to a permanent fixture every time they leave it unattended. All too often bikes are left in gardens and open spaces, during the day, and even overnight. This makes life far too easy for opportunist thieves who simply pick them up and ride off on them, or place them in the back of a car. In addition to keeping a record of any damage, owners should always keep details of the make, model, and serial numbers and should also indelibly mark their bike with their post code and house number. This will enable police to identify the owner should your bicycle ever be stolen and subsequently recovered. Police are also urging anyone who knows of anyone selling bicycles in suspicious circumstances to report it to police immediately. Anyone with information regarding the theft of bicycles is asked to contact the police on 0845 600 8000, or call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.