CYCLISTS in York have been urged to register their bikes with North Yorkshire Police, as part of an ongoing operation to combat cycle theft.

Since it started in January 2010, Operation Spoke has marked almost 10,000 bikes with a security number and registered them with the national property register, Immobilise, to ensure stolen cycles can be easily returned to their rightful owners.

Officers are currently trying to trace the owner of a bike which was targeted at about 8pm on Friday, June 3, when police recovered a bike at the cycle racks near the Minster after someone tried to steal it.

The bike is in police possession and police are urging anyone who believes it belongs to them to contact North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247.

Officers are also trying to trace the owner of a black or grey Cannondale Bad Boy hybrid cycle stolen from the cycle racks on Tanner’s Moat, outside The Maltings pub, at about 1.40pm on Tuesday, June 28.

A 17-year-old youth was arrested in connection with the theft, but officers need the owner of the bike to come forward and report it stolen.

If you believe it was your bike, phone police on the above number, quoting reference 12110106413.