Officers in Aldershot are appealing for bike owners to come forward after 10 bicycles were recovered by police. The mountain bikes were seized as part of an investigation and are believed to have been stolen from the Aldershot area sometime over the last month. A large number of stolen bicycles are recovered by police but some are never reunited with their rightful owners as they cannot be identified.

Often people have not reported their cycles as stolen so the police have no record of them on the system.

PC Dan Lucas, from Aldershot Police Station, said: “If you think your bike has been stolen then please contact me on 0845 045 45 45 as we need to identify the owners of these cycles.”
Officers are also asking people how well they could describe their bicycle if it was stolen, as many people do not keep a record of their cycle details.

The following advice is offered under the force’s Safer Vehicles campaign, the following advice is being offered to keep your cycle safe: (This applies equally to the Fleet Area)

•  If you have recently bought a new bike you should take a photograph of it. You can use your mobile phone to record an image and make sure you write down the serial number.
• Marking the bicycle with your postcode and house number acts as a deterrent to theft and assists the police with identifying recovered property.
• Always secure bicycles to a stand if available. Otherwise use a static object such as a lamp post or railing.
• Secure your bicycle with a good quality cycle lock.
• Quick release accessories are vulnerable. Consider replacing the lever with a security bolt or remove them when leaving the bicycle.
• Lights are made detachable so remove them before a thief does.
• Keep a note of the bicycle frame number. This will add identification should the cycle be recovered by the police.
• Store a digital photo of the bicycle in a safe place. Such evidence is key when police recover property.

Visit the website www.securedbydesign.com for more detailed information about property marking. For recommended locks and security devices the www.soldsecure.com website has lists of makes and models. For more information about policing in your area visit www.hampshire.police.uk.