Christchurch Police are asking people to be vigilant after a spike in bike thefts in the central city. In the past six weeks, Christchurch has seen over 166 bike thefts which is equivalent to a loss of a quarter of a million dollars.

The thefts are taking place outside commercial or retail outlets even when bikes are locked up.

If bikes are not properly and securely locked to a hitching post, they could be stolen says Senior Sergeant Appley.

Every pushbike owner should be taking care to lock up or store bikes wisely especially outside universities, gyms, malls and high schools.

People should consider a high-quality D-lock or similar to deter would-be thieves.

When you first buy your bike, please ensure that you record its serial number and take a photo of the bike.

Put the details of that number somewhere safe, tell your insurance company, just make sure you note it down.

You can even upload it to www.snap.org.nz

These thefts are happening during day-light hours; people are having their daily transport stolen.

Also, when looking to buy bicycles online, be careful that you are not buying a stolen push bike.

With the number of thefts growing in the central area, it’s wise for prospective buyers to be careful of what they purchase.

The majority of these stolen bikes are being sold via online market places.

We’d recommend you purchase from authentic sellers and genuine retailers, and websites based in New Zealand.

If you’re purchasing from an individual, we suggest you request proof of ownership, or perhaps some form of ID.

If the seller is not able to or refuses to provide these, it’s possible the item may be stolen.

Generally speaking, if the deal is too good to be true, it often is says Senior Sergeant Appley.

Five people responsible for a large number of the thefts were arrested earlier this month, and more thefts are being actively investigated.

Police again would like to reassure Christchurch central residents that they continue to investigate dishonesty offences and encourage people to report all thefts.

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