Police appeal after high value bikes stolen in Derbyshire

Overnight between 7pm on Friday, February 19 and 11.30am the following morning, thieves forced open the door of a garage along Lower Hague in New Mills and made off with two mountain bikes.

They were a black and white Scott Cross Team model and a Scott Scale 750 bike, also black and white in colour. (CR/7696/16)

On the same night, a white coloured Whyte Cambridge mountain bike, with knobbly trail tyres, was stolen from a shed along Hague Fold in New Mills after thieves forced entry. (CR/7661/16)

Police are appealing to anyone with any information about the incidents, or the whereabouts of the stolen goods, to get in touch.

Following the thefts, officers are urging residents to ensure that their sheds, garages and outbuildings are properly secure and that their bikes are secured with a quality lock and marked with a security fluid such as SmartWater.

Other top tips on boosting shed and garden security include:

- Fit a good quality lock to secure your shed, garage or outbuilding and make sure that it is appropriate to the strength of the door and frame;

- Consider purchasing a shed alarm to help to deter a thief and secure any bikes with a quality chain even if they are inside the shed or garage;

- Ensure that valuables are kept out of view from passers-by and consider covering your windows from the inside to prevent thieves from taking a look;

- Mark all valuables with a property marking system such as SmartWater as this makes your belongings much less attractive to thieves as they realise that the goods can easily be identified as stolen and traced back to the original owner;

- Don't leave items in your garden that could make the life of a thief any easier. For example, a ladder left out in your garden could be used to get into the upper floor of your home or onto the top of your shed. Likewise, other tools and gardening equipment left outside could be used to break into your home. Just taking a few minutes to lock these items away will greatly increase your security.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Gareth Podmore on 101, quoting the crime number mentioned above, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

For crime prevention advice or to speak to the New Mills and Hayfield Safer Neighbourhood Team call 101, and follow them on Twitter: @NewMillsSNT