Think bike safety!

It will coincide with the first Tour de Yorkshire, which starts tomorrow.

It is aimed at raising awareness of bike thefts across the county and advising riders on the steps they should take to help keep their bikes secure and reduce the chances of them becoming a victim of this type of crime.

Officers will urge riders to take basic security measures, such as investing in sturdy D-locks and leaving their bikes in secure locations.

As part of the campaign, officers will be working with local partners on a series of events across the county, to provide security and bike maintenance.

The campaign has been launched following a high number of thefts across the county.

During February and March there were 148 recorded thefts with the highest number in Sheffield (74) followed by Doncaster (41). The majority of thefts take place in town or city centres.

Chief Inspector Jayne Forrest said: “There have been a number of bike thefts in recent months, particularly in city and town centres around South Yorkshire, which we are taking steps to tackle including the use of a bait bike.

“This has led to a number of arrests and prosecutions which I am pleased about.

“However, we need people to be security conscious and help us to reduce this type of crime.

“Often people have expensive bikes that are secured with cheap locks which are flimsy and easily breakable.”

Other advice includes urging people to keep good-quality photographs of their bikes and to make a note of features, such as the frame, the saddle and gears.

Valuables, including bikes, can also be registered on a free national database, which helps police return stolen goods to their owners and helps prosecute offenders.

q For more crime prevention advice visit southyorks.police.uk/cyclesavvy or find advice on Twitter using #CycleSavvy.