POLICE in East Renfrewshire are urging cyclists to make sure their wheels are safe from sneaky thieves.

The plea has been issued after two bikes worth thousands of pounds were stolen from an outbuilding in the area. 

A Merida road bike and a Giant Hybrid were pinched from a property in Stamperland Drive, Clarkston, sometime between Sunday, April 4, and Sunday, April 11.

The stolen items have an estimated value of around £3,000.

They are just two of more than half a million bikes which are stolen in the UK every year, with the problem on the rise due to the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the retail supply of bicycles has been limited and this has driven up the price of second-hand bicycles,” explained Sergeant Michael Morgenthaler, of East Renfrewshire’s community policing team.

“This has made them a lucrative commodity for thieves who can sell them.

“We would urge owners to review their security measures to safeguard their property.

“Bike marking is a useful deterrent and can help to recover stolen property and detect those involved in these types of crimes.”

Enquiries are ongoing in an effort to recover the bikes that were stolen in Clarkston.

Anyone who has information that might help the police with their investigation is asked to contact officers via 101.

Alternatively, call the Crimestoppers charity in confidence on 0800 555 111.

To arrange to have your bike securely marked by the police, free of charge, send an email to GreaterGlasgowLPSTEastRenfrewshire@scotland.pnn.police.uk.

More information about how to keep your bike safe is available online by visiting HERE.