GALLERY: People wanted following cycle crimes

Investigating officers have released CCTV images of several people they want to speak to in connection with the incidents.

PC Billy Burstow, based at BTP’s Brighton office, said: “The officers investigating these cases have followed a number of lines of enquiry and circulated these images on police intelligence systems to try and get names for these people, but to no avail so far.

“Now we are asking members of the public to help identify them. If you know any of these people and can tell us who they are, then we want to hear from you.”

1a, 1b Shoreham:

Sometime between 6.30pm and midnight on Sunday, October 20, a black Giant mountain bike with a basket on the front and 24 gears valued at£600 was stolen from the cycle racks at Shoreham station.

2. Arundel:

The victim of this theft left his bike, a cream-coloured unisex Giant cycle worth £500, at the Arundel cycle sheds between 8.15am and 3.30pm on Tuesday, 12 November. When he returned it had been taken.

4. West Worthing

A silver bike worth £70 was stolen from the cycle racks at West Worthing between 2pm and 5pm on Monday, November 4.

7. Worthing

The owner of a £600 black and grey men’s GT Avalanche bike chained up his vehicle in the designated bike area to the rear of Worthing station shortly after 9am on Saturday, October 26. When he returned at 8.45pm the following day it was missing.

9. Durrington

Between 6.30pm and 9pm on Monday, December 2, the owner of a blue and grey mountain bike secured his bike at the uncovered cycle racks outside the station. When he returned, one of the wheels had been stolen. The theft is valued at £50.

10a, 10b, 10ac Barnham

Officers want to speak to all three of the people pictured in connection with the theft of a £700 bicycle from Barnham station between 8.30am and 1pm on Tuesday, December 3. The bicycle involved was a white Giant Revel mountain bike.

The latest appeal follows the recently-launched Operation Wiggins, the nationwide initiative to crackdown on cycle theft at train stations across the country.

Tuesday, February 11, will be the next Op Wiggins day of action at stations across the south east, when officers will be on hand to provide crime prevention advice and bike marking.

Posters will be placed at bike racks, advising cyclists how to correctly and securely lock their cycles.

PC Burstow added: “There are lots of things people can do to lessen their chances of becoming a victim of bike theft, like ensuring their property is adequately marked and secured.

“If a bike is adequately marked, it makes it much easier to identify and therefore helps reduce the risk of theft.

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

Anyone who recognises any of the people pictured should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting reference LSA/B10 of 29/01/13 quoting the image number.