A WARNING has gone out to cyclists after a spate of bike thefts in York.

North Yorkshire Police say that over the last few weeks they’ve seen a spate of thefts in the Fulford area of the city where offenders are targeting sheds and garages for high-end bicycles.

A police spokesman said: "We’re increasing patrols and doing everything we can to find those responsible but you can also make life harder for thieves by following our security tips listed below."

• Anchor it: If you can, fit a floor or wall anchor so you can securely lock your bike to it.

• If you can, use two different Sold Secure locks to secure your bike.

• In the UK locks can be – but aren’t required to be – tested by Sold Secure, a not-for-profit company administered by the Master Locksmiths Association. It rates locks Bronze, Silver or Gold in ascending order of security so keep an eye out for this when buying a lock.

• Lock the frame together with a wheel to a ground or wall anchor.

• If you keep your bike in a shed, use clutch-head screws for the door hinges so they can’t be removed with a Philips screwdriver which is a common way that thieves can get into a shed.

• Use a weatherproof closed-shackle padlock to secure shed doors.

• Register your bike on Bike Register – you can then mark it as stolen and also check second-hand bikes for sale.

• Take photographs of your bike and keep them somewhere safe as they could help police identify it if it gets stolen.

• Look out for our property marking events in your local area and bring along your bikes to get them uniquely marked.

• Act fast – if your bike has been stolen, contact us immediately by calling 101 or report it online at our website.