There have been 15 pedal cycle thefts in Eastbourne within the last three months. To help you avoid being a victim of crime, Eastbourne Neighbourhood Policing Team offer a free service to security mark your bike. Please speak to your local Officers for more details or click on this link http://www.sussex.police.uk/help-centre/your-local-district/eastbourne or call 101.
To help protect your bike from thieves please follow the crime prevention advice below;
Always use a lock when leaving your bike unattended even if for a short period of time.
Lock tight so that your bike is hard to move around when parked.
Lock both wheels and the frame to a bike stand or other immoveable object.
Make sure the locks catch the bike frame as well as both wheels and the post, or a thief may steal the bike and leave the wheels behind. Also, make sure the post cant be cut through or the bike lifted off it.
Take with you any items that can be removed without tools such as wheels, lights, pump, saddle etc.
Never leave bikes unattended on the rear of vehicles in car parks or service stations. If you have to leave them unattended make sure they are well-secured with good cabling and locks and that the carrier itself cannot be removed easily. Try backing up against a wall or fence so they are not accessible.
Put your bike in a secure place at night. If you have a garage or shed, consider installing a ground or wall anchorage point so the bike can be securely fastened by a chain or D lock. Sheds can be difficult to secure properly, so provide extra interior security
Chain several items together in the shed or garage such as a cycle, lawnmower and hedge-cutters. This makes it difficult for the thief to carry any of them away.
Specialist marking and tagging kits, meeting the British Standard for property marking, are available and, with visible warning stickers, can be a deterrent to thieves. These are widely available from cycle retailers.
Register your bike at www.immobilise.com. All you need is your bicycle model, make and frame number. Once you have registered your bike, you will have a better chance of getting it back if it is lost or stolen.
