A teenager has been charged with a bike theft following a series of incidents in Rushcliffe last month.
It was reported a bike was taken after the lock was snapped outside Rushcliffe Arena on Thursday (3 June).
Within an hour the bike was recovered by officers and an 18-year-old had been detained matching the suspect’s description.
Ray Larvin of Shipley Road has been charged with theft of a pedal cycle. He is set to appear in Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 22 June 2021.
West Bridgford police officers have worked closely with Rushcliffe Borough Council after 12 bikes were reported stolen in recent weeks.
Neighbourhood Inspector Craig Berry said: “This is a significant result after a dozen of reported bikes being stolen in the area.
“All the victims are clearly deeply upset after having their bikes stolen and we are determined to do everything to get them back for them. We continue to work with local partners to carry out extensive CCTV enquiries.
“The key deterrent to thieves is the lock. Almost all bikes stolen are secured with a weak lock which take seconds to cut through. We are urging cyclists to secure their cycles with a strong lock such as a D-Lock.
“As part of our crime prevention work we will be holding a special bike marking event at the Arena later this summer, so we hope to see as many of you down there and be able to give you advice of how to keep your bike safely.
“Our previous bike marking events have been really successful and it’s proven in the past as a massive crime deterrent because it makes it harder for criminals to sell bikes on and makes it easier for the police to reunite stolen bikes with their owners.”
A Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson said: “The Council is working in partnership with the police to prevent and detect cycle theft and have introduced a scheme at Rushcliffe Arena so members and visitors can hire a D-lock if required during their visit to the site.
“Cyclists can simply give their details at the leisure centre’s reception to borrow a lock to secure their bike whilst using the facilities.
“We hope to have future bike marking events later this year, so please do keep an eye on the force’s and councils social media for the date and time.”
If anyone has any information which could help police with their investigations into the cycle thefts please call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
• Rushcliffe Police Inspector updates the community – June 2021
• Police warn cyclists after three high-end bikes stolen from Rushcliffe Arena
