Local cyclists are being urged to lock their bicycles away when finished with them after thieves targeted bike racks on vehicles.
Protective chains are often no preventative to determined criminals, who have been targeting cars even when bikes appear to be securely fastened to racks.
The call comes after a £400 silver mountain bike was stolen from a bike rack on a vehicle parked in Applegarth Road, Heysham, overnight on in early June, after the thief cut through a steel rope chain to get it.
Two mountain bikes, with a total value of £1,200, were also taken from a rack on a car parked in Hillside, Lancaster on 10th June. The thief prised open the link arm bars of the rack and cut the securing straps from tyres before making off with the two bikes.
“People assume that because they have fastened their bikes to their cars that they have done enough to prevent them being stolen,” notes Detective Inspector Martin Pearson of Lancaster police. “Unfortunately, a thief will see a bike and will know it can make them a large amount of money so they can be determined.
“The best solution is to remove the temptation – once you are finished with it, lock you bike away in a shed or garage. If you have no other option but to leave it attached to your car, make sure strong chains and padlocks are used with the racks.”