A Bridlington mother is warning bicycle owners in the area to be extra vigilant after her sons bike was stolen despite being locked up and under CCTV surveillance.
The Bridlington Echo has received several reports regarding stolen bikes in the town over the last few weeks.
On a Neighbourhood Watch Facebook page it appears that there have been at least 15 occasions where bicycles have been stolen, many with the locks cut through – and some blatantly under the cameras of CCTV.
Cheryl Edeson, who lives in Bridlington was annoyed after her sons bike was taken from outside ER Leisure in Bridlington – despite being securely locked up.
“My 16 year old son’s bike was stolen from right under the CCTV at East Riding Leisure Bridlington on Sunday 11 September between 12pm and 2.00pm.
“Whoever took it had cut the lock off with bolt cutters.
“My son was absolutely gutted to find that his £450 bike had gone as he used this regularly to commute to his summer job and for fitness activities. All that was left was the cut off lock on the floor.
“When my son left Leisure World gym and found it missing he went straight back inside to inform the reception staff. They told him to report it to Bridlington Police station which he did immediately.
“We are still waiting for further update on my son’s missing bike.
Mrs Edeson has made people aware of her son’s stolen bike on Facebook. After posting, she received messages from other people saying that their or a family members bike had also been stolen.
“There have been approximately 15 bikes being stolen in the last 2/3 weeks valued in my estimation at around £8,000.
“This is when I realised the extent of bike thefts in Bridlington.” added Cheryl.
Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Andy Beadman who is based at Bridlington from Humberside Police said:
“Cycling has become so popular in the last few years and some people spend a lot of money on their bikes. This makes them even more attractive to thieves who will take advantage of any opportunity to steal bikes to break up or sell on.
“We know this may be frustrating for victims as they want immediate action but we have to measure this type of crime against others where people are at risk of harm and our limited resources have to be assigned to incidents where there is immediate risk.
“Whether you ride as a hobby, or use your bike just to get around, it’s important to spend a bit of time and money keeping it safe and secure. I would advise people to buy a good quality lock and use it. Use you lock even when your bike’s at home in the garage. It’s all about making it as hard as possible for a thief to take it.
“Never leave it unlocked when you’re not there and think about where you’re leaving it when you are out and about. Make sure the area’s busy and well-lit and lock both wheels and the frame to the stand or railings.
“Try and make things as difficult as possible for people to get access to your possessions and please report thefts to us so we can investigate them and bring those responsible to justice.”
“There will be people in our communities know who are committing these crimes, where the bikes are being stored and sold, I want to hear from anyone who suspects stolen goods are stored or taken somewhere near them.
For more information on keeping your bike safe and advice on how to buy second hand with confidence, log on to https://www.humberside.police.uk/issues/cycle-crime
You can also increase your chance of having your bike returned to you if it is stolen, by registering it at www.immobilise.com or you can contact your local policing team regarding our newly launched cycle tagging scheme.
Deatails on a newly launched bike tagging scheme can be found here: https://www.humberside.police.uk/news/new-scheme-aims-help-security-mark-bikes-and-prevent-thefts
