A hard-hitting initiative that is fighting back against the ongoing problem of bike theft in Edinburgh has won a Secured By Design (SBD) award.

The scheme received the prestigious SBD award for tackling theft of pedal cycles across the City of Edinburgh policing division by using BikeRegister, an SBD approved product, from Selectamark, an SBD approved company.

Edinburgh-based Crime Prevention Officer PC Bert Wilson developed the Partnership scheme, which also involves the City of Edinburgh Council.

PC Wilson said: “Top-of-the-range mountain bikes and ‘new-looking’ bikes are popular with thieves, who then sell them on for profit. Many bikes are taken by organised gangs who particularly target areas such as Marchmont, which is about a mile from the city centre, and has high levels of bicycle ownership.”

In addition to the theft of complete bikes it is common for saddles and wheels to be stolen, usually because they are only held on with ‘quick-release’ mechanisms.

PC Carlyn Simpson, an Edinburgh CPO, said: “Bikes are often recovered by officers stopping someone riding one. The rider may be the wrong size for the bike or they might be pulled over because they aren’t wearing a safety helmet. Other bikes are recovered after being abandoned.”

PC Wilson concluded: “This is an ongoing scheme and everybody we have dealt with has given it praise.”

For further press information and images contact: Angela Singleton, Press Officer for Selectamark. Mobile: 07905 623 819 Email: [email protected]

For further information and images contact: Jodie Fisher, Marketing Executive for Selectamark.

Phone: +44 (0)1689 487829
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @bikeregister