Reduction of cycle theft in Nottingham

The current cycle theft reduction strategy came out of work commissioned by the Community Protection Directorate via the Police Divisional Commander. I was initially tasked with some basic analysis to ascertain the frequent locations of cycle theft. However as a keen cyclist I volunteered my services for any further tasks stating my vested interest in reducing cycle theft in the city.

The initial analysis showed there to be hotspots near to the two main shopping centres in the city and around the university/QMC areas.

Following an initial meeting I was tasked with speaking to various other cities that had commissioned successful schemes to reduce the problem. I duly made contact with Oxford, Cambridge, Guildford, York and the Metropolitan Police. All of these were forthcoming in advice and emailing me materials.

By using these materials and through working alongside of a Police Inspector from Community Protection I was able to draw up an action plan that covered three strands: -

• Intelligence (establishing information of methods of thefts, regular locations and other possible patterns)
• Prevention (marking bikes, target hardening and registering bikes etc)
• Enforcement (work in relation to charges being related to the cost of the bike, interactions with cyclists, high visibility presence near bike racks etc).

Each of these strands contained a list of activities, time scales and owners of each task. This was then updated regularly as each task was completed and information fed back.

Alongside of the enforcement arm of the plan one of the first public moves was the 'Bike Passport', which was issued, designed and printed by Community Protection. This was issued in recognition of the fact that a great many bike owners fail to know of and record their bike's serial number. This number is one of the few methods of decisively establishing a bike (frame's) identity. The Passport therefore contained a page at the back for a cycle owner to record their bike's details.

The next strand of prevention involved a policy of Smartwatering bikes. Smartwater is a forensic fluid containing millions of microscopic particles that make up an individual property identification code. The solution is painted onto household items and leaves a forensic fingerprint encoded with the owner's details, which is virtually impossible to remove. The Smartwater was applied at two specified key points on the bikes indicated in the literature that came with it. Similarly any bikes that were handed in or found were and are checked for Smartwater at the property office. The Smartwater is usually distributed at events where basic bike security advice can be given at the same time.

The enforcement part of the plan has involved numerous activities relating to surveillance of cycle parking areas in both an overt (acting as a high visibility deterrent) and covert forms (connected to covert teams who could then arrest an offender should they attempt to steal a bike) along with various another similar and related measures.

One of the most helpful aspects of the strategy has been the weekly sharing of sanitised information amongst the necessary Police, Community Protection and local security. This has enabled the correct distribution of activity throughout the city and has drawn attention to any potential Hotspots.

The result is that since the full plan became operational a marked reduction in reported cycle thefts has taken lace across the city division.

The table shows the number of reported thefts each week since September when the scheme became operational. The Red Line is the actual number of thefts and the black line is a four weekly rolling average trend line.

A significant drop from an average of thirty thefts per week down to fewer than fifteen can be seen.

The key area for thefts is the City Central area that spans from the Town Centre/St Anns border across to the University and the border of Beeston.

Whilst this area has a clearly erratic level of theft, again a marked reduction can clearly be seen.

Comparing year on year.

Comparing the same periods of this year to last year further reinforces the reduction the table below shows the two years figures compared to each other divided up by the respective sub divisions.

Central as mentioned contains the city centre and the canning circus, University (as far as but not including Beeston) and Lenton area, City North consists of Bulwell (up to but not including Hucknall), Bestwood, Oxclose Lane & Sherwood, City South consists of St Anns, Sneinton, Meadows & Clifton (excluding West Bridgford) and City West is Radford Rd/Hyson Green, Broxtowe, Aspley & Wollaton.

The initial reduction across the city is just over 25%, which is a marked success for the first year of an operation. Amazing reduction can be seen in the City West area that coincides with a growth in youth diversion projects such as the Aspley bike-recycling centre.

Whilst this is the first year of the operation, other consequent operations and projects will learn from the activities of this year and refine the system.

Other successes connected to the operation

A number of arrests have been made after regular covert surveillance operations around the city centre. One operation had to be halted early due to the volume of arrests made that day, the officers had to finish in mid afternoon as they literally had a van full of offenders!

Two sharp eyed PCSOs in Canning circus spotted two individuals on bikes matching the description of two reported stolen that day in the area and having facilitated the arrest of the individuals were led to a house filled with disassembled bikes and another individual in the basement beavering away at disassembling another bike.

Conclusion

The theft reduction scheme has got off to a successful start with a reduction on theft across the City division.

Close working partnership between The Community Protection Directorate, The Crime & Drug Partnership, The Police (in particular the Safer streets team) and private security at locations such as the Victoria centre and the University has been invaluable to the success of the work. Similarly the support and input provided by Pedals and the feedback from the Cycle development meetings organised by Garry Smerdon-White has been greatly beneficial.

Further activities based on the findings of the initial plan are scheduled to take place.

Covert enforcement operations are now scheduled on a regular basis.