Police have launched a crackdown after £32,000 worth of bikes stolen
Written by Shaun Moore on July 8, 2010
POLICE have launched a crackdown after £32,000 worth of bikes were stolen in the last two months.
The spate of thefts have taken place in Gloucester city centre and the Barton Street area over May and June. 
The Gate streets were hardest hit in the centre of Gloucester while Bruton Way and Weston Road were the other hotspots.
To tackle the problem, uniformed and covert patrols have been increased.
Safer Community Teams (SCTs) are holding a range of security coding events and crime prevention officers are giving advice to cyclists and local shops that are sometimes sold stolen bikes.
Police are urging people to take out insurance when bikes are purchased, photograph their bike and note unique features, ensure their bike is security marked in different places on the frame, ensure it is locked out of sight in a shed or garage.
Also, in the city centre, to secure their bike with a lock to a fixed heavy object, use two locks of different types, leave it in a well-lit area, leave it in different places to prevent it being spotted and remove any small, easily-stolen accessories.
Bike owners are also encouraged to register their bike at for free at www.immobilise.com. If the police find a registered bike, they can then try to reunite it with the owner.
Barton, Tredworth and White City SCT are holding four bike postcoding events this month at Barton Street Police Station.
They will take place on July 17 from 1pm-2pm, July 20, from 6pm-7pm, July 24 from 10am-11am and July 29 from 4pm-5pm.
The Gloucester Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and Barton Street SCT are also running bike security events in the area and giving away free locks to youngsters.
Fourteen officers were on foot in the city on Monday, July 5 to address the issue in hot spot areas.
Sixteen people on bikes were stopped and checked and given security advice where necessary in two hours.
