ONLY one bike has been seized this week, following Wiltshire Police's focus on preventing bike theft.

Officers have been carrying out work this week, using both covert and overt strategies, in a bid to deter thieves while advising the public on bike security.

As a result there have been no reported bike thefts in the area during this time.

Led by PC Mark Douglas, officers also conducted an event for cyclists to get their bikes security marked for free, as well as speak to the team about security advice and raise concerns.

And today PC Douglas held a live question and answer session on social media.

According to PC Douglas, police have previously seen a rise in bike thefts around September, so it felt an appropriate time to conduct the events.

He added: “It may seem like a fairly low level crime to some, but for a lot of the victims, their bike is their main mode of transport so when they are stolen it can be both inconvenient, frustrating and upsetting.

“We’ve had a great reaction this week and I’m pleased to report that we’ve not had any bike thefts reported during the week. We’ve been conducting high visibility patrols as well as using some more covert tactics – as part of our work we have also seized a bike from an individual which was believed to be stolen."

Following the week campaign, Wiltshire Police has also issued the following advice:

  • Use a lock - preferably a ‘D’-lock combined with a cable lock
  • Park and lock your bike somewhere well-lit and with lots of passers-by
  • Get your bike registered
  • If you see anything suspicious call 101 immediately

PC Douglas added: “While a lot of bike thefts happen when bikes are locked up, we do occasionally see bikes stolen which have been left insecure so I’d like to urge all bike owners to be mindful of their bike security and be vigilant if leaving it for a prolonged period of time in a public place.”