Thought this warranted a new topic,

I have had a number of replies from various parties regarding my enquiries into the Council, MPs and Police attitude ionto the problem of targetted theft within Bristol.

Nothing that we don’t already know but makes some interesting reading, firstly the reply from Nick Pates, Park of the “Cycling City” team:

Dear Mr………

Thank you for your email regarding bike theft in Bristol. We recognisethe seriousness of cycle theft and the barrier it creates when trying topromote cycling.

We are working closely with the police and I have passed your details to the Avon and Somerset Crime reduction officer, PC Frank Simonds. I understand that PC Simonds has been in contact with you to discuss howthe police plan to tackle cycle theft and discuss specific concerns and suggestions that you may have.

As part of the Cycling City project we are introducing a number of measures to tackle cycle theft, including;

1. Plans to double the number of secure cycle stands in Bristol and introduce various secure parking options in other locations.

2. Working closely with the police to educate people on the best ways to secure their bicycle.

3. Introducing a bicycle recycle project, that has, in other areas shown a proven success in reducing cycle theft by removing the demand for bicycles.

I am aware that the cycle theft you are reporting is that of targeted high end, specialist equipment and these measures would probably dolittle to prevent this. However I hope that they will significantly reduce opportunist cycle crime in Bristol. The police are in a better position to take action against targeted cycle theft.

If you wish to discuss further please do hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Nick Pates

…and one from the PC responsible for lowering targetted bike crime:

Mr……

I was sent a copy of the comments you left with the North Bristol MP’s regarding cycle theft.

I am a police officer based with the Crime Reduction Team at Newfoundland Road Police Station. I have been tasked with reducing pedal cycle theft in the city as a result of the ‘Cycling City’ funding.

I noted your comments and wondered if you would like to meet with me and discuss your concerns and allow me to inform you of the reduction strategy I have devised.

I would welcome any insight and suggestions you may have.

Please feel free to contact me to arrange a visit to the station.

Regards,

PC 1422 Frank Simonds

at least they appear to be addressing the issue, but sounds like they’re talking about the theft of bikes from public places rather than the bespoke attacks on people’s private property, which seems on here to be the bigger concern?

So Frank wants to meet to discuss our concerns and his proposals.

So anyone got any suggestions to help reduce the problem?

So Frank wants to meet to discuss our concerns and his proposals.

So anyone got any suggestions to help reduce the problem?

Yep, how about the Police attending the scene of the crime a tad sooner than 24 hours after the incident when there was very possibly evidence and the criminals would have still been in the local area .

A “capture bike” fitted with a transponder and locked up somewhere fairly easy to steal. I think this has been used by other police forces with some success, and has lead to them busting people responsible for other offences like drug dealing.

Undercover patrols of car parks at Ashton Court and Leigh Woods. No doubt some of these people are known to the police already.

Education of the rank and file to impress on them that not all bikes are worth £50 and can easily be replaced at Halfords.

Good response from the cop.

I like the idea of a bait bike. That is smoething you guys could do yourselves – just be very sure that you do the “srrest” properly and legally. It is possible to do so

That is smoething you guys could do yourselves – just be very sure that you do the “srrest” properly and legally. It is possible to do so

Excellent idea. Now where did I put my baseball bat and my stab vest? 🙄

How about a service whereby police officers could drop round and give you practical advice on how to make your storage area more secure? They do a similar thing in many ares to help prevent burglary.

I also heard that most high end bikes stolen have the frames dumped as the serial number is traceable. How about suggesting looking at serial numbers on forks as well as these are one of the parts most likely to be sold on if the bike is stripped.

Maybe a space on the local police website where the details of stolen bikes can be posted – well meaning people would be less likely to buy questionable bike bits if it could be shown they were taken from a stolen bike.

Suggest he cross reference details of bikes recovered / stolen with other police forces as they will not all be sold on in the same area.

I thought the main problem (certainly for the lieks of us with high end machiens in the garage/shed) is not opportunistic raids on the railings in town, but following people back from Ashton ct etc, clocking a likely garage and then keep on coming back and having a go until security is breached. These arent just scrotes nicking bikes are they? It certainly smacks more of knowledgeable proper villain in business doesnt it?

Thats my Major concern Stoner, not worried about £200 worth of commuter stolen off the railings in town, what concerns me (and what I tried to get over in my e-mails) was the targetted theft of high end mountain bikes from homes and secure storage in Bristol.

Along with the Police reply came a report, makes no real reference to targetted burglary, what id does give us is this rather amazing statistic:

4.1 Pedal Cycles

The average value of cycles stolen is £327 and ranges from between £10 (child’s cycle) and £5,500 (high spec mountain bike). These high value bikes can distort the average value so the Mode (most common value) is £200.

Over the two crime years 2006/07 and 2007/08, it is estimated that over £1 million worth of pedal cycles were stolen in Bristol. Of these, only 1% (n= 60) were recovered.

harry – Id get them to re do the stats for No. & Value stolen from homes and stolen from public spaces.

The average value (both mean and mode) for the former should be far higher than the latter.

£5,500 (high spec mountain bike). These high value bikes can distort the average value so the Mode (most common value) is £200.

good – the more distorted upwards the better if it means they do something about it!