British Transport Police (BTP) has released CCTV images of seven people it wants to speak to in connection with cycle crimes at Ipswich train station.

Officers are hoping members of the public will be able to identify the people in the images, which are in relation to six bike thefts between April and August.

BTP is stepping up patrols at Ipswich station and working closely with Greater Anglia to tackle cycle crime and help educate passengers how to correctly lock up cycles at stations.

Pc Sue Lissimore, from BTP, said: “Officers investigating these thefts have followed a number of lines of enquiry and circulated images on police intelligence systems to try and get names for these people, but to no avail so far.

“Now we are asking members of the public to help identify them. If you know any of these people and can tell us who they are, then we want to hear from you.”

Pc Lissimore added: “Sadly bicycles are a popular target for thieves but there are lots of things people can do to make sure their property is adequately marked and secured.”

BTP has released the following images:

•Image 1 – Police would like to speak to this man after a bike was stolen from the cycle racks between 2pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday, 17 April.

•Image 2 – Can you help officers identify this man? He is believed to have key information about a theft of a bike at the station between 5.30am and 6pm on Monday, 22 April.

•Images 3 and 4 – Officers would also like to speak to these two men after a bike was cut and stolen from the racks between 6am on Saturday, 13 July and 5.55pm on Sunday, 14 July.

•Image 5 – The whereabouts of this man is sought after a cycle was stolen from the station between 6.45am and 7.45pm on Tuesday, 23 July.

•Image 6 – Later that day, another cycle was stolen from the racks around 8.50pm on Tuesday, 23 July. Do you know who this man is?

•Image 7 – Officers would like to speak to this man after a bike was stolen from the racks between 6am and 6pm on Friday, 2 August.

Anyone with any information about the incidents or who recognises one of the people pictured in the images should contact BTP on 0800 405040 quoting reference B7/LNA of 10/09/2013 and the image number.

Cycle security advice includes registering your bike and ensuring a solid lock is used to secure it.

BTP officers also conduct cycle crime awareness surgeries at stations across Suffolk to offer crime prevention advice and identify the top locations for bike theft, targeting them through covert and overt policing operations to catch would-be offenders in the act.

This week sees the launch of Operation Wiggins, BTP’s latest nationwide initiative to crackdown on cycle theft across at train stations. As part of the operation, posters will be placed at bike racks advising cyclists how to correctly and securely lock their cycles.

A number of surgeries will also be held over the next few months at stations in order to ensure all passengers have their bikes security marked and registered on the crime-fighting database.

James Steward, area customer service manager for Greater Anglia, said: “We’re working closely with our British Transport Police colleagues to raise awareness amongst our customers to properly secure their cycles and in jointly taking forward exercises to provide advice and support with initiatives including security marking of cycles. We are also working to improve and invest in better cycle parking facilities at a number of our stations including Ipswich.”