Spate of high value bike thefts in the Kendal area prompts police warning (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Spate of high value bike thefts in the Kendal area prompts police warning

3:06pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News

BIKE owners in the Kendal area are being warned to be on their guard against thieves following a spate of cycle thefts over recent months.

Thieves are targeting higher value bikes often worth several thousand pounds, with 14 bikes being stolen across the South Lakes between December 2012 and January 2013 alone.

With cycling growing in popularity thanks to the success of Britain’s Olympic riders, there has been a big rise in the number of people buying bicycles.

Cumbria Constabulary says owners should take steps to ensure their bikes are stored safely and securely at home.

Community Safety Officer Terry Belshaw said: “Cycling is definitely on the up, with people prepared to spend on average around £1,500 on a good quality bike, but often they don’t have space to store them in their home or garage.

“We’ve noticed thieves are targeting these high value bikes that have been left insecure on the back of vehicles or in insecure sheds or back yards. I can’t stress enough how important it is for people to take care of their property and lock their bikes away safely.

“We work hard to investigate reports of stolen pedal cycles, but it is important for bike owners to take their own steps to help us prevent and detect crime. If people are more security conscious about their bikes, then we can work together to reduce the number of thefts in the area.”