Summer Bike Marking For Cyclists In London

21 Jun 2012

Cyclists across London have even more opportunity to get their bikes security marked and registered as officers from the Transport for London (TfL) - funded Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Safer Transport Command (STC) increase their bike marking events this month.

Officers from the 32 borough Safer Transport Teams (STTs) and the Cycle Task Force have joined forces with bike shops across the capital, to hold bike marking and registration days throughout June.

Officers are using BikeRegister, the MPS preferred cycle registration database, to register bikes and will also give London’s cyclists advice on how to lock up their bikes securely in order to deter cycle theft.

This is the latest phase of activity involving TfL, the STC, British Transport Police and City of London Police to tackle cycle theft in the Capital.

Police officers have been using a range of tactics to crack down cycle thieves, including bike marking and registration events, high-visibility patrols, surveillance, intelligence-led operations and covert policing tactics.

Registering details of your bike helps the police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold. Over 23,000 bikes have been marked and registered onto BikeRegister by the MPS since June 2010.

In addition to these events, the Cycle Task Force and Safer Transport Teams carry out regular marking events throughout the year.

Visit your local Safer Transport Team website for details of local events. You can also find pan-London events on the STC cycle marking website: http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Cycle-marking-events/1400005859885/1400005859885

Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor, Safer Transport Command, said: “We want Londoners to get on their bikes and enjoy cycling this summer without the fear of theft, which is why we are urging people to come and get their bikes security marked and registered for free!

“We advise any cyclist to follow ‘the three R’s’ - Record the details of their bike, Register them onto online property databases like Bike Register, see related links and Report any theft to the police. These are simple steps that all cyclists should take so that if their bike is stolen they stand a good chance of being reunited with it.”

Siwan Hayward, Deputy Director of Community Safety, Enforcement and Policing at TfL, said: “As the cycling season gets under way and the Mayor’s cycling revolution continues to gather pace we will see hundreds of thousands of people taking to two wheels this summer, and through working with our policing partners we will ensure that cycle thefts are kept to a minimum.

“The TfL-funded Cycle Task Force have already made huge efforts in minimizing bike theft in the capital, however, we need people to register their bikes online as this will give us and the Cycle Task Force the best chance of retrieving your bike if it’s stolen.”

TfL and the STC are working together to continue to reduce cycle theft in London. The Cycle Security Plan produced by TfL, British Transport Police, City of London Police and Metropolitan Police Service sets out what has been done, and they plan to do, to prevent and deter cycle theft and criminal damage.

One key element to their approach to cycle theft reduction was the introduction of the Cycle Task Force as a dedicated team of 30 officers to tackle cycle theft in the Capital. They tackle organised cycle theft through proactive investigations and operations, as well as disrupting the trade of stolen second-hand bikes and bicycle parts through working with online websites and running undercover operations and high visibility patrols in hot spot areas.

Andrew Knights, Managing Director of BikeRegister, said: “Thanks to the excellent work of The Cycle Task Force and Safer Transport Teams, bike theft in London is being tackled head on. Bike marking and bike registration continue to be key elements in deterring bike theft and recovering bikes to their original owners. If the frame number of a bike is not recorded on a secure Police-approved database, it is very hard to prove that a bicycle is stolen. Therefore, we fully support the increased cycle marking events taking place during London’s busiest summer ever.”

Peter Kimberley, Head of Retail, Evans Cycles, said: “Evans Cycles are delighted to be able to support the Met Police and Safer Transport Team in raising awareness of bike registering by offering free in-store bike registering sessions. We are keen cyclists and really value our bikes so we understand that providing our customers with the best guidance on bike care and product is important for sustained cycling enjoyment.

“Cycling is a brilliant way to get around easily and stay fit and we are proud to be working in partnership with The Cycle Task Force to help London cyclist’s get the most out of cycling.”

The Cycle Task Force and Safer Transport Teams offer free security marking, registration and advice. Registering your bike helps police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold. Security marking your bike deters potential thieves as your bike can be easily traced if it is stolen.

The whole cycle marking process only takes a few minutes. Officers will apply a unique chemical etch security marker on the bike. Officers will also capture details about the owner and the bicycle, these details are then ‘uploaded’ onto BikeRegister’s database. BikeRegister then send owners instructions on how to access their personal ‘Cycle Log-Book’

Some of the bikes shops who are supporting these events are, Evans, Halfords, London Fields Cycles, Cycles UK, Apex Cycles, Perry Cycles, Sidcup Cycle Centre, Bull Cycles, Richmond Cycle, Fudges Northwood Cycle Depot and Cyclopedia.

The Three R’s: There are three simple steps that all cyclists should take so that if there bike is stolen they stand a good chance of being reunited with it:

Record - Keep a record for yourself of the frame number, make and any other marks that can identify your bike if it is stolen. The Cycle Taskforce run a number of bike marking events, see related links

Register - There are a number of websites where cyclists can register the details of their bikes and any distinguishing features/ frame numbers etc. The MPS have recently selected Bike Register as the preferred cycle online registration service, see related links.

Report - If your bike is stolen then please make sure that you report it to the police. Bike theft is a significantly under reported crime. Reporting the theft will enable us to check databases and contact the owner once the bike is recovered.

Follow @MPSSTC on Twitter for updates on regular marking events in the Capital

The Cycle Task Force is funded by TfL and forms part of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Safer Transport Command team. Since June 2010, the MPS have registered over 23000 bikes on Bike Register.com - the MPS preferred cycle database. Over 13000 of these were cycle security marked and registered by the Cycle Task Force.

The Cycle Task Force have made over 250 arrests and reunited some Londoners with their stolen bikes The team works alongside the local Safer Transport Teams, who also run sessions on bike marking and registration and give London’s cyclists advice on how to lock up their bikes securely in order to deter cycle theft.

The Cycle Task Force work with the Payback Unit using Proceeds of Crime Act to deprive criminals of their assets gained through cycle crime.

The Cycle Security Plan produced by TfL, British Transport Police, City of London Police and Metropolitan Police Service sets out what we have done, and plan to do, to prevent and deter cycle theft and criminal damage.

For further press information and images contact: Angela Singleton, Press Officer for Selectamark. Tel: 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]
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