Motorcycle theft has been eliminated in a former hot-spot for thieves in central London.
About 52 motorcycles or scooters were stolen every year from St James Square but there has been no theft since Westminster City Council, the Metropolitan Police and security company Datatag introduced a series of measures in September last year.
Together, they advertised a day in September to offer riders the chance to get their motorcycles security “tagged” on site for just £50, including fitting. This resulted in a steady queue of riders taking advantage of this offer.
Metropolitan Police officers were also on hand to check the Police National Computer to make sure the bikes weren’t stolen in the first place. After the tagging took place, warning signs were put up to let thieves know that users of the parking bay had security-marked their bikes.
Between April and September 2014 191 motorcycles, scooters and mopeds worth £1million had been stolen across the whole of the City of Westminster.
The council plans to repeat the opportunity for riders to have their motorcycles and scooters marked in the New Year for riders who park in another hotspot, Berkeley Square. Riders are also being urged to use the 78 ground anchor points installed by the council.
http://www.mcia.co.uk/Campaigns/MASTER-Security-Scheme.aspx