THERE are calls for Short Strand residents to be vigilant after a number of bicycle thefts in the district in recent weeks.

The first bike was taken from Julie McGlade’s house shortly after Christmas, with a green men’s Carrera mountain bike being taken from the property sometime in the night. But that was only the start of the thefts in the area which have continued throughout January.

Julie said: "We had the bike parked in the yard because it had gotten dirty and it was going to be cleaned the next day. The next morning when we came out it was stolen. The only way they could have got in is by getting in over our wall."

A few days later on the night of 3-4 January Agnes McGinley’s son’s bike was stolen from their back yard. The bike was a unique looking electric bike and the thieves were caught on a neighbour's CCTV climbing over the fence before cutting the chain and making off with the bike.

Agnes said: “It was my son’s bike and it cost around £1,200. It was chained to the wall and also had a chain wrapped around it and was covered up. They climbed the fence, cut both of the chains and also took the cover. My neighbour caught them on CCTV.

"They didn’t manage to take the battery for the electric bike, or the keys so they would have had tired legs by the time they managed to get away. My husband has been around to second hand shops and key cutters but they haven’t seen the bike being brought in. We think whoever took it must have known beforehand it was locked up there as they came prepared.”

Around ten days later on 15 January Lindsay Bennett had two bikes stolen from her home, both were again men’s mountain bikes made by Carrera.

Lindsay and her sister Louise explained that the bikes were frequently used by Lindsay’s children who have complex needs.

Louise said: “My sister’s boys have complex needs and their bikes were ways for them to take some time for themselves. They also use them to get to work and college. At 7am she noticed the bikes were gone. They took the two Carrera bikes but not the other children’s bikes which were just lying there, so it’s clear they’re after bikes which are top of the range.”

Lindsay said: My sister checked the neighbour’s CCTV and you can see them taken in the middle of the night. On the CCTV you can see one looking out while one steals the bikes. One of the bikes was punctured but they took it anyway.

"I have to get up to take them to work and college now in the morning because they’ve lost their transport. You work hard for these things and our worry is next it will be some elderly person who will be robbed.”