Bikes stolen from shed in Guildford

Two bikes, worth a total of more than £1,500, have been stolen from a garden shed in Guildford.

The burglary took place at a house on Guildford Road at some point between May 28 – 31.

One was a red and white Trek 1.7 (2009) road bike. It has a 52cm frame with a Shimano 105 gear and break set, with a La Selle Italia white leather women’s saddle which has a distinctive hole in it from a tear.

The second bike is a Scott Contessa, white and gold women’s mountain bike. It has a white saddle with black and white bars, with a black plastic mudguard attached to the seat tube and a small saddle bag mounted underneath the saddle.

PC Maddy Greenwood, from the Guildford Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Residents are advised to lock up their garden sheds and outbuildings securely.

“Sheds can be an easy target for the opportunist thief particularly if they contain expensive equipment and when they are sited away from main properties where they are not overlooked. I would strongly urge residents to spend some time upgrading garden security so you don't become the next victim of crime.”

Surrey Police recommends the following security tips:

•Fit a good quality padlock, which has a hardened steel shackle (the part which opens and passes through the hasp) to all shed doors. The shorter the shackle the better because it prevents the jaws of bolt croppers being able to be placed around it
•Use anti-tamper screws or smear hard setting glue on the screw-heads of the door hinges
•Lock or permanently fix windows shut and cover them, perhaps with an old curtain, so no one can see what is kept inside
•Install a shed alarm and place a sticker in the window or on the door to advertise the fact
•Mark valuable property, including lawnmowers, power tool, bikes, and garden furniture by permanently etching on your postcode and house number
•Chain up bicycles, lawnmowers and motorbikes and secure them to a fixed point in the shed
•Consider storing more expensive electrical goods indoors or in a more secure building such as a brick-built structure
•Make sure that fences/gates to your property are secure and remember to put any property away at night or when you go out during the day
•Darkness is the perfect cover for burglars and the effective and economic answer is to install outside lighting, which comes on only when people are present.

Anyone who is witnessing suspicious activity taking place at the time is asked to call 999, or if you have information relating to these incidents please contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference PR/45200055814.

Alternatively the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously and free of charge on 0800 555 111.