Police appeal following cycle thefts from Thames Valley stations

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the British Transport Police press release:

British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) is appealing for information after a bicycle was stolen from Maidenhead rail station on Thursday, 19 January 2011.

Officers have also released a CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) image of man they would like to identify and talk to in connection with the theft, which took place sometime between 11.30am and 10.30pm.

PC Robbie Singh, the investigating officer from BTP^s dedicated cycle theft team, said: ^The victim, a 42-year-old local man, had left his cycle locked to the racks at the station entrance on Shoppenhanger^s Road. When he returned later that evening, he discovered both the bike and the lock had been stolen.^

Officers believe the man pictured may also have information regarding the theft of cycles from Bedford, St Albans and Windsor & Eton rail stations.

The bike stolen from Maidenhead was a black Cannon Dale mountain bike with front lights fitted.

PC Singh added: ^I am appealing for the public^s help to identify this man. If you recognise him or have any information regarding his whereabouts I would urge you to contact police.

^Unfortunately cycles are a popular target for thieves but there are several steps people can take to ensure their bikes are adequately marked and secured to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of bike theft. The best thing to remember is to register your bike and also to ensure a solid lock is used to secure it. If a bike is adequately marked, it makes it much easier to identify and therefore reduces its desirability to thieves.^

BTP officers regularly conduct cycle crime awareness surgeries at stations to offer crime prevention advice and identify the top locations for bike theft each fortnight, targeting them through covert and overt policing operations to try and catch would-be offenders in the act.

Anyone who can name the men in the CCTV images should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference B12/LNA of 06/12/2011. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from another British Transport Police press release:

British Transport Police appeal to identify man in connection with eight cycle thefts

Investigators have released several CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) images in a bid to identify the man, who has stolen bikes in Berkshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and has so far been linked to eight incidents.

The offences took place between October 2011 and February this year at stations including Maidenhead, Windsor Central and Bedford.

PC Robbie Singh, the investigating officer, said: ^We^ve made local enquiries into these incidents and, after viewing CCTV, we are now linking them to this man, who was seen at the stations each time a cycle was stolen. We^ve followed up numerous leads and circulated the images on police intelligence systems as well as in the local media in a bid to identify this man, but to no avail so far.

^If you think you can name this man, or are the man himself, we want to hear from you.^

Monday, 3 October ^ Maidenhead station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 6am and 7.20pm ^ Grey ^Gaint^ hybrid bike
Wednesday, 19 October ^ Windsor & Eton Central station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 5.45pm and 11.15pm ^Carrera Fury^ mountain bike
Friday, 11 November ^ Bedford station ^ child^s cycle trailer stolen from racks sometime between 8.30am and 4.45pm ^ Child^s trailer stolen.
Wednesday, 30 November ^ St Albans City station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 7.44pm and 7.50pm ^ Silver ^specialized^ mountain bike
Thursday, 19 January ^ Maidenhead station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 11.30am and 10.30pm ^ Black ^cannon dale^ mountain bike
Wednesday, 1 February ^ Twyford station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 5.39am and 5.30pm ^ Brown ^specialized^ mountain bike
Wednesday, 1 February ^ Windsor & Eton Central station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 9.29pm and 9.32pm ^ Pedal cycle
Wednesday, 1 February ^ Wokingham station ^ cycle stolen from racks sometime between 7.20am and 6.30pm ^ Silver ^Trek^ mountain bike with child^s seat on the cross bar.

Anyone with any information about the incidents or who recognises anyone pictured in the CCTV images should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference B12/LNA of 06/12/2012.

Edit note: Images now removed due to expiry of copyright permission. CfN