Police Scotland issue advice to owners of high value mountain bikes and motorbikes

Following enquiries into recent motorcycles and high value mountain bike thefts, Police Scotland has become aware of a method that thieves are using to identify desirable bikes and then locate the owner’s home address which can then be targeted at a later date.

Victim’s social media accounts are followed by the thieves who use the images to identify bikes and home addresses, the thieves then use Snapchat or other messaging apps to share the location of the home address with accomplices, enabling thefts to be carried out.

The force advise bike owners using social media to take the following precautions:

• Make your Instagram (and other accounts) private so only friends can see your images

• Don’t post images of your expensive bikes on social media

• Don’t make it easy for thieves to identify your home address from images on social media

• Don’t list makes and models on GPS apps

• Use privacy zone features on GPS apps to create an exclusion zone around your home address

With this in mind officers suggest the following additional security measures;

• Install a shed/garage alarm that will give an audible signal of intruders (low-cost, battery-operated PIR alarms are commonly available)

• If you can’t keep expensive bikes in your house, then keep your garage or shed doors closed and locked at all times. Use high quality ‘Sold Secure’ locks and fixings to deter / slow down thieves

• Register and security mark your bikes with a national cycle database such as Bikeregister https://www.bikeregister.com/

• Security lighting can also help deter potential thieves

• If you think that you may be being followed or watched by potential thieves whilst out and about with your bike, note descriptions of vehicles (inc. reg no.) / suspects and call us on 101 to report it (999 in an emergency)

More detailed advice is available on the Police Scotland website