In the know

Tackling motorbike and moped theft in Epsom and Ewell

We’ve been seeing a recent rise in motorbike and moped thefts in Epsom and Ewell. 

These two wheeled vehicles are easy to ride away, easy to ship overseas and have a high resell value which is very attractive to criminals. We’re increasingly seeing thieves working in pairs, often dressed in balaclavas and using stolen bikes to target vehicles. 

Tackling this issue remains a priority for our local team. We’ve been increasing hotspot patrols and developing our intelligence picture, which is often linked to organised crime. 

We are robustly enforcing the borough-wide Public Spaces Protection Order with partners, which bans wearing face covers, such as balaclavas, with the intent to commit ASB or crime. The power aims to help deter intimidating and criminal behaviour, and if someone fails to comply with a request to remove their covering, this could result in a fine or prosecution.

Every piece of information builds the bigger picture. Report on our website here. 

While we’re doing everything we can to stop these criminals, we’d encourage all bike owners to make sure they are also putting in place protective measures. 

Use multiple locks when securing your bike, such as a D lock on the front wheel, a disc lock to secure the front brake disc, or a grip lock to secure the brake and throttle controls and consider using heavy duty chains to make it more difficult for thieves to cut through.

Where possible, park in a garage or secure carpark. If parking on your driveway, consider installing motion sensor lighting and CCTV, and locking your bike to a ground anchor.

Trackers are also very useful. Although thieves will look to find and remove them, the sooner a theft is reported, the more likely we are to be able to locate and return a bike to its rightful owner.

For more information on how to protect your motorcycle, moped, or scooter from theft, please visit our website.