Cheap flyers 'to help with anti-bike theft initiative'

Police in Sunderland are using flyers to encourage those buying new bikes this Christmas to register their details as part of an anti-theft initiative.

Sunderland police may be enlisting the services of cheap flyer printers as part of a new initiative aimed at reducing the number of bicycle thefts over the Christmas period.

According to the Sunderland Echo, the force is distributing leaflets to bike shops in the city, which will be passed onto anyone purchasing a new cycle.

The flyers encourage buyers to provide the serial number of their new machine, along with their name and address, which will be stored on a system and can help with the recovery of a bike should it be stolen.

posters are also being put up urging cyclists to take precautionary security measures and neighbourhood inspector Neal Craig was quoted by the news source as saying the police "want to make stealing a bike as unappealing as possible to thieves".

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is also making use of flyers, sending them to homes and businesses to highlight the risks of flooding.