Police appeal for help to catch bike thieves
POLICE have issued CCTV images in connection with several bicycle thefts in Manchester, Rochdale and Wilmslow.
British Transport Police’s (BTP) appeal relates to 10 bikes stolen over a three-month period between May and July, this year.
Stills were taken from security footage captured at Manchester city centre’s two main railway stations - Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly as well as other stations in Wilmslow and Castleton.
BTP officers urged cyclists to secure their property and so lower the chances of falling victim.
Inspector Michelle Wedderburn said: “Sadly bikes can be a popular target for thieves but there are lots of things people can do to make sure their property is adequately marked and secured.
“It’s important to remember to register your bike and ensure a solid lock is used to secure it.
“If a bike is adequately marked, it makes it much easier to identify and therefore helps reduce the risk of becoming a victim of bike theft.
“BTP officers regularly conduct cycle crime awareness surgeries at stations across the North West to offer crime prevention advice and mark bikes.
“Follow our twitter account @BTPGtrMcr for further details of these events.
“We also target stations with covert and overt policing operations to catch would-be offenders in the act and CCTV provides a great tool to identify those we don’t catch red handed.
“We will continue to work closely with train operating companies to tackle cycle crime.”
British Transport Police released a montage of several CCTV images taken from Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Wilmslow and Castleton stations.
A BTP spokesman added: “Do you know these men? We’d like to speak to them in connection with the theft of a number of bikes from train stations across Manchester They were stolen over a three-month period between May and July, this year.”
Thefts have occurred at stations and from trains, the spokesman added.
Anyone with any information can contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.
“Sadly bikes can be a popular target for thieves”