Tackling bike theft across London

A special police squad set up by Boris Johnson to tackle bike theft has made 200 arrests in its first year.

The 30-strong Cycle Task force is being credited with a 3% reduction in the number of thefts across London, down 709 to 22,536 bikes in the year to 31st May compared with the same 12-month period a year earlier. Met figures show that Westminster is the worst area for bike thefts (1,788), followed by Islington (1,518) and Camden (1,451). Bexley had the fewest, with only 124 bike thefts reported to police.

TfL has stated that 75% of the arrests ended in a 'positive outcome' with thieves being sent to gaol, issued with fines or given warnings depending on the seriousness of the crime.

More

Links

• Ian MacPherson of the Cycle task force explains how to keep your bike secure
• Register your bike at Bike Register which is the MPS preferred cycle register and bike marking product for London. BikeRegister, run by Selectamark will now supply police officers and local councils in London’s 32 boroughs with its bike marking kits and secure online registration service