POLICE are warning bike owners not to give thieves an easy ride in a summer crackdown on bicycle crime.

Crime prevention officers are reminding owners of expensive bikes to be vigilant, following a spate of thefts in the Langbaurgh area.

In the 12 months up to April this year, 366 bikes - some with a price tag of more than £1,000 - have been stolen.

Most of the bikes have been taken from outside shops where owners have left them unsecured.

Thefts peaked last October, when 60 bikes were stolen in one month.

Last month, 28 bikes were stolen, mainly from the Redcar area.

Flyers and posters will be distributed to bike shops and handed out at schools by road safety officers.

PC Ian Solomon, from Langbaurgh's crime prevention team, said: "Most of these thefts are completely preventable.

"If people took just a few seconds to lock their bikes we would practically eradicate the problem.

"I'd hope that people spending hundreds of pounds on a top-of-the-range bike would then invest in a good-quality, heavy-duty lock, which they would then use every time they left their cycle - even if it's just for a few minutes.

"Our new posters and flyers should help remind owners to lock their bikes, preferably to something sturdy and secure such as trees, street furniture or railings."