Limerick teenager to appear in court over theft of 14 bikes

A teenage boy is to appear in court charged with theft of 14 bicycles in Limerick city.

The incidents occurred from August to November 2018.

The youth was arrested Friday and brought to Henry Street Garda station where he has since been charged and is due to appear before Limerick City District Court on Saturday afternoon.

Crime prevention officer Sergeant Ber Leech said the Garda had recently launched a “Lock it or Lose it” campaign and asked cyclists to lock their bikes as securely as possible.

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“A few simple tips such as; spending 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the value of the bike on two locks, locking your bike tightly to an immovable object and keeping the lock off the ground, will make life difficult for the thief” he said.

Cyclists were also strongly advised to take a photo of their bike, note the serial number and email it to themselves so there is a record available should it be found.

The Garda said of the 14,000 bikes stolen since 2016, only about 16 per cent of owners had the bicycle frame numbers recorded.

Sergeant Leech added: “There is a trend of not reporting the theft of bikes to gardaí which makes it difficult for us to reunite any recovered bikes with their owners. If your bike is stolen, report the theft to gardaí as soon as you can”.

He also warned buyers of second hand bikes to look for proof of ownership before purchasing.

The Garda website allows users to view bicycles and all other recovered property that is currently in the Garda property stores. Further information can be found at garda.ie.