Police warn people to lock up their bikes after spate of thefts on Milton Keynes estate

Extra officers are currently patrolling the Emerson Valley area due to a recent rise in bike thefts reported.

Some of them happened while the owner left the bike for a couple of minutes to pop into a shop.

Officers are urging owners to keep your bikes locked and secure, no matter how little time they are being left unattended.

"If you are leaving them to go into a shop, leave them in a well lit area and use a high quality lock," said a police spokesman.

If possible, the area should have CCTV,

Owners are also advised to lock the bike frame and wheels to a solid and immoveable object and use a UV pen to clearly mark the bicycle with their name and postcode.

It is also helpful to register you bike at the police-approved National Cycle Database Bike Register here .