Improve Your Bike Security with Police, PCC and Council and reduce theft

Hampshire Constabulary, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are holding a free event for bike owners in Festival Place in February and March, to improve bike security and reduce theft in the district.

PCSOs will be fitting marking kits to bikes, and staff from the PCC’s office will help to get people signed up to BikeRegister. Permanently marking your bike and registering helps to identify and recover bikes if they are stolen. Gold Standard locks approved by Secured by Design will help to deter and prevent bike theft from happening in the first place.

Friday 4 February                 12:30 – 15:30
Monday 21 February            10:00 – 14:00
Friday 4 March                      12:30 – 15:30
Monday 21 March                 10:00 – 14:00

The team will be based on the Lower Level of Festival Place, outside of Santander Bank. Anyone can turn up with a bike to get it marked and registered, and also bring your old bike lock to participate in the exchange for a Gold Standard lock.

The services they will be offering are:

• Bike Marking: To reduce the chances of becoming a victim of cycle theft, security marking kits can be fitted. It’s a highly effective, visible deterrent to bike thieves. They know that if they are caught with a registered bike, the owner can be traced and they will be arrested.
• Bike Registration: Registering on BikeRegister means you could be reunited with your bike in the event of it being stolen. BikeRegister will contact you to update you if yours is recovered and by whom.
• Bike Locks: An accredited bike lock will act as a strong deterrent to any thief. A Secured by Design approved Gold Standard lock has been tested to determine resistance against attack. The longer it takes a thief to break through a lock, the more likely they are to get caught.

This event is being funded as part of the Safer Streets project in Basingstoke. The Safer Streets Fund resources a range of proposals that contribute to Basingstoke being a safer place to live, work and visit. The work is being carried out in partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and other important community partners. Find out more on the Safer Streets Fund page.

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said:

“Bike thefts have been a long standing issue in Basingstoke which is why we are running schemes to help people prevent thefts. The impact of a stolen bike is far more than the monetary loss. It leads to people feeling less safe in their communities.”

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Planning and Infrastructure Cllr Simon Bound said: “I am pleased that together with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner we are able to offer further bike security events for our residents, following the success of the previous event.

“Bike marking is an excellent way to protect your bike from being stolen. I would encourage residents across the borough to pop in to one of the events taking place in February and March to take advantage of this great opportunity to have their bike marked free of charge.”