Shocking data from the Home Office has revealed a bike theft epidemic in the Thames Valley, with just 80 criminals charged or summonsed in 3,364 bike theft cases. Local Liberal Democrat MP Joshua Reynolds has said that bicycle theft is effectively ‘decriminalised’, and backed calls for ‘Operation Bike Bait’ to tackle the offence.
Local MP Joshua Reynolds has castigated recent figures by the Home Office showing the “disastrous” local police record on solving bike theft. Thames Valley Police solved just 13.7% of local cycle thefts last year.
Nationally, almost two-thirds of police forces in England & Wales had at least four in five (80%+) of cases going unsolved. Of 44 police forces, none had solved more than 55% of bike theft cases.
The Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead, Joshua Reynolds, has echoed party calls for a dedicated national unit – ‘Operation Bike Bait’ – in the National Crime Agency that carries out “bike bait” operations to tackle the ongoing theft epidemic.
The unit would work with local police forces, including in Maidenhead, to carry out targeted operations, planting bikes fitted with trackers in theft hotspots so officers can catch offenders and uncover wider criminal networks.
It would also coordinate the collection and sharing of intelligence and best practice across forces, helping to build a national picture of bike theft and improve the policing response.
Joshua Reynolds, Liberal Democrat MP for Maidenhead, said:
“Here in Maidenhead, I know local people are furious about the effective decriminalisation of bike theft in our community. Hundreds are denied the justice they deserve after their property is stolen, letting criminals get away scot free. Our police do fantastic work in our community, but they need support and resource.
“Whether it’s exercise, family plans at the weekend or saving money on a cycle commute as prices for petrol and public transport rocket, I know people in Maidenhead have had their lives upended by bike theft. Given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, many simply can’t afford to replace property that should rightfully be returned to them.
“I’m proud to call for ‘Operation Bike Bait’- to tackle the bike theft epidemic once and for all.”