Crime prevention day in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire helps hundreds combat theft

On Friday (May 24) police officers registered 400 bikes and marked them with tamper-proof stickers in an effort to deter thieves. They also took the opportunity to speak to cyclists about ensuring bikes are secured correctly with a good quality lock.

In addition to tackling cycle crime officers spoke to more than 60 tradespeople and 75 taxi drivers about theft, offering crime prevention advice, marking tools and selling alarms at cost price.

Vehicle crime was also the topic of other community events, with dozens of people discussing the issue with officers in an effort to reduce their chances of becoming a victim.

Superintendent James Sutherland said: “I’m really pleased with how the public responded to the day and with what we were able to achieve in relatively short space of time.

“We’re working hard to tackle criminality in the county, but it’s also important we seek to prevent it from happening in the first place. One way we can do this is to make it as difficult as possible for criminals.

“We want as many cyclists as possible to sign up to the marking and registration scheme. We’re currently working with retail outlets to offer this service for free as a way of tackling theft. As well as this scheme, we’re asking cyclists to use at least one decent lock to secure their bike. There are still far too many cheap locks being used which make it easy for thieves.

“The majority of the thefts from cars occurred when people failed to lock their vehicle and left valuables on show. Thieves will steal something as seemingly insignificant as a CD. We’re urging people to ensure they lock their car and remove items from sight which could be stolen.”

For more information on cycle crime prevention visit www.cambs.police.uk/cycle. Additional information on thefts from vehicles can be found at www.cambs.police.uk/A-Z/Vehicle-security.

Retail outlets interested in signing up to the scheme to provide the marking service should contact [email protected].