Rail Users Warned Over Bike Thieves

Bicycles worth a total of more than £1.5 million have been stolen from railway stations in Britain in the last year, police have revealed.

British Transport Police said 5,318 bikes were taken by thieves between April 2013 and March this year - the equivalent of 14 every day.

The total number stolen from stations in England, Wales and Scotland was a rise of 3.6% compared to the previous financial year.

Some 1,381 suspects were arrested over the 12-month period, BTP said, as it launched a nationwide campaign to tackle bicycle theft.

Officers believe criminals are exploiting the rising popularity of commuting by bike in the UK.

Superintendent Jason Bunyard, who oversees Operation Wiggins, said: "Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in passengers using bikes to travel to and from railway stations.

"Following continued investment in cycle racks and spaces for bikes on trains, events such as the Tour de France, and with people being more conscious of the environment and their health, there has been a huge surge in their popularity.

"Unfortunately, this has also provided increased opportunities for thieves due to bikes being relatively easy to steal and dispose of, bikes sadly remain an attractive target for thieves.

"More bikes stolen will lead to an increase in insurance claims resulting in higher premiums for everyone''.

The majority of bikes stolen from the railway network in 2013/14 were not secured correctly or had sub-standard locks, BTP said.

They are urging cyclists to invest in a good quality lock and make sure their bike is security marked and registered.

Mr Bunyard said: "Thieves need to operate quickly to reduce their chances of being caught; having a heavy duty lock makes their job much more difficult and they are more likely to abandon any attempt to steal your bike.

"It's quite surprising that someone would spend over £1,000 on a bike then use a £5 lock to secure it. We would always recommend spending at least 10% of the value of the bike on an appropriate lock.''

Recently Scott McGowan from Stirling was sentenced to three months in custody after being convicted of stealing a bike from Stirling station in September. 18-year-old McGowan, from Hazelbank Gardens in the city, pled guilty when he appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court last month. Two men, aged 18 and 22 years, are now the subject of reports to the local Procurator Fiscal in connection with the alleged thefts of eight bikes from Milngavie and Westerton railway stations between 5 September and 10 October 2014.