Police force admits bike thefts "unlikely to ever be solved" after spoof sign pokes fun at station's "Bicycle Redistribution Point"

In a statement that is unlikely to inspire confidence with cyclists, British Transport Police has today told road.cc that bike thefts are "unlikely to ever be solved" and there is "limited opportunity for investigation" in many cases. The comments come in response to a spoof sign that was placed at one railway station's supposedly secure cycle parking facility last week, renaming the bike racks a "Bicycle Redistribution Point".

The official-looking sign appeared at Chichester railway station, the man behind the "depressingly accurate" warning having since been dubbed the West Sussex city's "answer to Banksy" amid his attempts to highlight the issue of bike thefts at the site.

The campaigner behind it – who wishes to remain anonymous and is known only as CARP (Chichester Anti-Recreation Partnership) – installed dozens of the parody signs around Chichester since August after noticing that signs warning or prohibiting locals from doing something were "everywhere". He uploads pictures of the signs to his social media page and last week turned his attention to the station and its bike theft problem.

When road.cc contacted British Transport Police for comment about the sign and the wider scourge of bicycle thefts seen at stations across the United Kingdom, we were told issues of CCTV or bike sheds/cycle racks would be for the railway operators to decide.

A spokesperson went on to claim that while the force acknowledges how "upsetting, inconvenient and potentially costly" bike thefts are, there "can often be limited opportunity for investigation" and that "some crimes that are unlikely to ever be solved".

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British Transport Police commented: "Whilst we know that offences such as the theft of a bike or suitcase are upsetting, inconvenient and potentially costly, there can often be limited opportunity for investigation.

 "Our experience tells us at an early stage that there are some crimes that are unlikely to ever be solved – such as those without a clear estimate of time or location for the incident or if there is a lack of clear CCTV or witnesses.

 "The more time our officers spend reviewing CCTV footage for these offences, the less time they have available for patrolling railway stations and trains, investigating crimes which cause the most harm and providing a visible presence across the network.

 "Any offence which is not investigated will still provide us with valuable intelligence, used to direct our patrols and operations.

"We continue to investigate all types of crimes while ensuring our officers are maximising their available time across the network for passengers and rail staff where they're needed the most."

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The sign at Chichester station appeared last week, the city having long featured prominently in studies listing the places in Britain where you’re most likely to get your bike nicked, with the city’s railway station – and in particular its supposedly CCTV-monitored cycle parking unit – a notable hotspot for opportunistic thieves.

"I decided to create the sign after noticing just how many posts were popping up in local community groups about bike thefts, often several times a week," CARP told road.cc on Friday.

"What stood out to me was that the overwhelming majority of these incidents were happening in this specific spot at the station, which made it feel like an issue that needed highlighting in a memorable way."

The sign, attached to a pole outside the station's bike parking facility and installed last week, depicts a masked man, huge bolt cutters strapped to his bike, riding away with a presumably stolen bike, with the caption: "Chichester Bicycle Redistribution Point. Many thanks for your donations."

Logos of both Southern Rail and Sussex Police are also featured in the sign, alongside the satirical disclaimer: "Brought to you by Southern Rail. Police logo included for aesthetics only (they don't like getting involved)."

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"The response has been overwhelmingly positive – people seem to enjoy the humour but also appreciate the way it shines a light on the problem," CARP continued.

"It's clear that the issue here is lack of action from Southern Rail and the police. My hope is that this will spark some action from them to improve security and deter thefts in the area. However, I haven't heard of any changes as yet."

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway said: "We recognise how distressing it can be when you have a bike stolen. This is why we host regular bike marking sessions at Chichester Station and work closely with the British Transport Police. Registering a bike is free, and reduces the likelihood of theft and increases the chance of recovery.

"Ultimately, though, the best deterrent is a quality D-lock attaching the frame and front wheel to the bike stand, and a second lock securing the rear wheel to the frame."

Last year the Liberal Democrats warned that bike theft had been effectively "decriminalised" after analysis of home office data found that 89 per cent of reported cases go unsolved. That story came just a few months after the grim reality of Britain's bike theft problem was emphasised once again, with the number of bicycles stolen from train stations up 39 per cent year-on-year.

And the growing questions about police inaction have led some victims to take matters into their own hands. In October, one London-based cyclist – whose bike was stolen from the communal hallway of his block of flats, before immediately appearing on online marketplace Gumtree – made sure their case was "difficult to ignore" for the police, by tracking down the culprit within 48 hours and guiding officers right to his doorstep, leading to his arrest and a criminal charge.