Police Scotland has once again partnered with a national security company to help tackle bike thefts as part of the ongoing Pedal Protect campaign.
Selectamark Security Systems PLC, which owns BikeRegister, have previously provided the service with a number of their SelectaDNA tagging spray kits, which were used successfully in Edinburgh to address the issue of crimes being committed on motorcycles.
In addition SelectaDNA property marking kits were deployed as part of Operation Kapel, which took place within the Gorbals area of Glasgow and reduced housebreaking by 100%.
Prior to the launch of Pedal Protect, each local policing division within Police Scotland received a free BikeRegister starter kit from Selectamark to establish if they would be of use to the campaign.
Now, divisions have begun ordering various quantities of these kits to distribute to communities across the country free of charge.
The kit contains two highly durable and tamper-resistant QR barcode labels, which can be scanned with a smart phone to identify your bike on the BikeRegister website, and determine whether it is stolen.
Each kit marks one bike and serves as a visible deterrent, as well as providing police with an enhanced investigative tool in the event a cycle is stolen and subsequently recovered.
Pedal Protect was launched on Friday, 26 March, 2021 and the initiative aims to reduce a national rise in bike thefts throughout Scotland by providing the public with a range of crime prevention and security advice, as well as offering services such as bike marking and registering at various locations.
In addition, policing teams will continue to carry out evidence gathering and enforcement activity to bring bike thieves to justice and reunite stolen cycles with their rightful owners.
Superintendent Matt Paden, Police Scotland’s Acquisitive Crime Lead, said: “On a number of previous occasions, we have successfully worked with Selectamark Security Systems to reduce various crime trends that have occurred in Scotland.
“We are confident this latest partnership will also be equally beneficial, not only to our investigative approaches, but to deterring and preventing bike crimes taking place in the first instance.
“Registering your bike on the BikeRegister is of vital importance to ensuring that, in the event, your cycle is taken, that we have all opportunities at our disposal to get it back to you. I’d encourage all members of the cycling community to visit www.bikeregister.com for more information on the BikeRegister or to request your own personal membership kit.”
James Brown, Managing Director of Selectamark, said: “Police Scotland continues to work tirelessly to reduce bike crime and have used BikeRegister bike marking kits for many operations across the country to tackle cycle theft.
“Not only does BikeRegister help reduce instances of cycle theft, but it also enables cyclists to be reunited with their bikes after they have been stolen.
“Police Scotland are one of the top forces for recovering stolen bikes which they have achieved through their own operational methods including working closely with second-hand cycle shops to make sure they are checking BikeRegister before they buy and sell cycles to ensure they are not registered as stolen.
“We would also encourage all cycle retailers to play their part in the fight against bike crime and mark and register all new bikes they sell.”
