Cyclists in Harrogate are being reminded to take precautions to protect their bikes from thieves in the run up to the Tour de Yorkshire.
Police have identified a slight increase in cycle thefts in the area recently, and are keen to reinforce some key security messages.
Officers believe that in some cases opportunist thieves may have targeted a property simply because they spotted a cycle rack attached to an expensive vehicle parked outside.
Inspector Alex Langley, of Harrogate Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
Often if there is an expensive car on the drive with a cycle rack on the roof, it is obvious to the opportunist thief that a high-value cycle will be located inside the garage or shed.
Harrogate Police are urging cyclists to follow these three crime prevention measures:
- If you have an expensive cycle, it is not enough to simply store it in a garage or shed and presume it will be safe. Cycles need to be locked and secured. Make it as difficult as possible for a thief to gain access and then even harder to remove your bike. There are many options available from ground anchors and combination locks to simply locking multiple bikes together to make it harder to steal them without detection.
- Remove cycle racks from parked vehicles when not in use to reduce the likelihood of you becoming a target.
- Check your social media privacy settings. Often, avid cyclists with high-value equipment advertise routes travelled from home and back and post pictures of the bike along the journey. A quick search on some cycling apps will show key locations where cycles are stored and the days your cycle will likely be in the garage. Don’t make yourself a target and restrict your privacy setting so only friends and family can see your activity.
Officers will be working with the local authority in the coming weeks to continue to emphasise the cycle security message.
For more information about protecting your bike from thieves, visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/cyclesafety
