FOLLOWING a rise in motorcycle thefts in the area, a Frome police officer is encouraging motorcycle owners to be vigilant and protect their vehicles.
Speaking to Frome Times, PC Matt Hyde said, “In the past few months we have seen a rise in the number of motorcycle thefts in the area. Some of the stolen bikes are ending up in Bristol – it’s likely that gangs are coming to the area to steal bikes to sell them on as stolen vehicles, or to strip them of their parts to sell on.
“Thieves are likely to be assessing the area a couple of days before to identify areas that are not well lit, have no CCTV, before coming back to put the motorcycle into the back of a van and driving off with it.”
Explaining what motorcycle owners can do to try and prevent theft, PC Hyde said, “Be aware of where your bike is and if it is safe. At home, make sure you have ground anchor points to chain your bike to. If you have a garage, store your bike inside and use extra security within it.
“There is safety equipment available to make your bike secure – visit police recommended websites such as www.bulldogsecure .com and www.security forbikes.com for more information.
“Using a permanent UV marker is a very simple way to ensure that your bike can be returned to you if it is stolen. With the marker you can put something like your postcode on the bike to help identify it – if it is found, police can wave a UV black light over the vehicle, and use the mark to identify the owner. This can be handy if the number plate has been changed.
“You can also register your vehicle with Immobilise, the UK’s national property register. Immobilise helps police identify the owners of recovered property. You can find more information on the website: www.immobilise.com.
“When travelling use the Park Mark website – www.parkmark.co.uk – to find safe parking areas to use. Park Mark has a database of car parks that have been risk assessed by police officers or police trained assessors – they check if a car park is safe looking to see if it has good lighting, ground anchors for motorcycles, a secure entrance and exit, and good visibility. It’s not a guarantee that your vehicle won’t be stolen, but these car parks do lower the risk of theft, so it is worth checking before travelling.”
For further information on crime prevention, visit: www.police.uk/crime- prevention-advice/
