Joy for cycle winners

A JOINT police and council initiative to reduce bicycle theft in the town has left two competition winners 'wheeley' happy.

The cycle crime reduction initiative, organised by Suffolk Police and Ipswich Council, was designed to make people aware of crime involving bikes in general.

All of the 500 residents who filled in a questionnaire on keeping their bikes safe were entered into a prize draw to win the bicycles but it was lucky Michelle Wilsden and Scott Knights that had their names picked from the hat. They were presented with their prizes, donated by Action Bikes, St Matthews Street, Ipswich, by crime reduction officer Peter Lickert.

As part of the initiative, residents were also given advice on how to protect their property and offered to 'postcode' it by marking their details on it with an ultraviolet pen.

Mr Lickert said: “Ipswich Borough Council came up with the proposal because of the number of bicycles being stolen in town. It has raised people's awareness and has been an advisory to get them to try and protect their property.”

The police are also looking at launching future initiatives to tackle the increasing problem.