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Crackdown on bicycle thieves
Police launch blitz in peak crimespots
A BLITZ on bike crime has been launched in Islington after it was revealed there were 1,348 reported thefts last year – slightly up on the year before.
Although bike theft has gone down in parts of the borough – such as Finsbury Park and Clerkenwell – crime hotspots around Old Street and Angel are still attracting thieves.
The peak time for bike thefts appears to be between 4pm and 10pm.
Islington Council, in partnership with the police, will be warning cyclists about taking security measures, including using robust chains and registering bikes online so that they can be flagged as stolen.
The council is also putting in new bike racks, which are far more secure than railings for chaining a bike.
Although Islington already has more bike racks than most other London boroughs (over 1800, compared to 1000 in Camden and 850 in Hackney), the council already has plans for hundreds more.
Very secure bike sheds have been built on some of Islington’s housing estates, and more are in the pipeline.
The police are planning sting operations in hotspot areas and will be increasing their presence at the crime hotspots.
Police will also be advertising the stolen bikes that they have recovered but which have not been claimed and reuniting them with their proper owners. |
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