Tower Hamlets Wheelers
NEWS RELEASE 21 August 2003
For immediate release
Ref THW19StolenBikes210803
CYCLISTS TAKE DIRECT ACTION ON STOLEN BIKES
Local cycle action group the Tower Hamlets Wheelers (1) have responded to a
recent spate of bike thefts by claiming back one of their stolen bikes and
setting up a website gallery of their much-missed steeds
http://towerhamletswheelers.org.uk/stolenbikes/
Wheelers member, Mike Stevens, spotted in Brick Lane last
Sunday (17th August) the bike belonging to another member of the group who had
recently fallen prey to the bikes thieves. Mr Stevens managed to claim the
bike back from the rider who had bought it from a building site at Canary
Wharf only days before (2).
"More than 700,000 bicycles are stolen every year in the UK - that's one
every 45 seconds, worth £250 million per year,"(3) says Wheelers campaigns
officer Colin Waters.
"We are keen to work positively with local police to security-mark bicycles
at our events to help deter thieves, but recently it has been hard to get a
police officer to attend or pass on security kits to us. It was also
difficult to get the police to attend the scene in Brick Lane.
"We wonder whether the police take this issue seriously.
"It certainly has a serious impact on cycling levels because twenty percent
of bike theft victims give up cycling altogether. (3)
The Wheelers have written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner about the
issue (letter reproduced below - 4).
A poll of the Tower Hamlets Wheelers email group containing over 100 members
revealed that one in five have suffered from bike theft over the past three
years - some having more than two bikes stolen. The new stolen bikes gallery
at http://towerhamletswheelers.org.uk/stolenbikes/ shows some of the
recently stolen bicycles (plus the one that was found on Sunday) so that
other cyclists and the public can keep an eye out for the missing machines.
If anyone has had their bike stolen and wishes to place a picture and short
description on the website, send the information to
stolenbikes@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
Campaigns officer Colin Waters says: "Our final message is: don't buy a bike
if there is any chance is has been stolen; you will only be supporting
thieves and perpetuating the chance that your bike will get stolen. The
Wheelers recommend that you buy your bike and a couple of strong locks from
a local specialist bike shop."
ENDS
For more information contact:
Alix Stredwick 07903 606330 (general)
Notes for editors
(1) The Tower Hamlets Wheelers is the local cycle action group in the east
London Borough of Tower Hamlets, campaigning for better cycling facilities
and encouraging more people to cycle - for health, the environment and for
London. The Wheelers are affiliated to the London Cycling Campaign, the
largest urban cycling campaign in the world.
(3) Transport Research Laboratory, 1998
(4) From: "Waters, Colin"
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2003 19:07:20 +0100
To: "'pat.coughtrey@archant.co.uk'", "'admin@recorder.co.uk'", "'commissioner@met.police.uk'"
Subject: For letters page, about police on bikes
This is an open letter to the Recorder and police in Tower Hamlets.
Dear Recorder letters page,
Local cyclists will be pleased to learn that police from the Brick Lane
station have realised that bicycles are the quickest and most convenient way
of getting about town - and catching criminals ('Police saddle up for
the war on crime', Newham Recorder, 6 August).
If people in authority are seen to be effectively doing their job by bike,
perhaps
other road users will start to treat cyclists with a bit more courtesy and
respect.
However, cyclists at the Tower Hamlets Wheelers, the local cycle action
group, were dismayed to learn that there was no mention in the article of
any efforts to tackle thefts of bicycles, only pointing out 'cycle-related
crime' in terms of criminals who use bikes for mobile phone and handbag
snatches.
Cyclists are victims of thefts too, and this has serious implications for
levels of cycling in the capital. More than 700,000 bicycles are stolen
every year in the UK - that's one every 45 seconds, worth £250 million per
year - and 20% of victims give up cycling altogether.* The recent hot
weather seems to have resulted in a spate of bicycle crime, and a quick poll
on the Tower Hamlets Wheelers email group containing over 100 members
revealed that one in five have suffered from bike theft over the past three
years - some having more than two bikes stolen.
Tower Hamlets Wheelers have worked with local police in the past to
security-mark bikes with a national register scheme to deter criminals. But
in the run up to National Bike Week this year it was impossible to get a
police officer to attend our events or supply us with marking kit.
Furthermore, a member of the Wheelers reclaimed a stolen bike from Brick
Lane itself last Sunday, having great difficulty in getting police officers
to attend the scene, despite the area been a well-known place for the sale
of stolen bikes - police in other areas of London recommend that cycle theft
victims visit the market to see if their bike ends up on sale.
The Wheelers are keen to work with others to reduce bike crime - we now have
a web page showing our members' stolen bikes:
http://www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk/stolenbikes/ but we would like to
ask: What are the police doing to deter and solve cycle theft in Tower
Hamlets?
Yours faithfully
Colin Waters, Mile End
Tower Hamlets Wheelers Campaigns Officer
*Transport Research Laboratory, 1998
Tower Hamlets Wheelers
wheelers@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
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