Warning over '˜huge rise' in bike thefts in east Kirkcaldy

Gary Hughes, a community worker with the YMCA’s Happy Days community hub, who helped to set up the Gallatown Bike Hub at the former bowling club, says he has had over 20 people contacting him in recent months to inquire about getting new bikes after theirs were stolen.

And he believes that the increase in thefts could be linked to the rise in people using “street vallies” a new valium drug which is on the rise in the area.

“The bike hub has been going for over five years now and there have been thefts during that time but it has really been a nightmare over the past two or three months,” he said.

“This is in the Gallatown, Sinclairtown and Smeaton areas, and it’s definitely the worse I’ve ever seen it.

“It coincides with the rise in street vallies by mainly long-time drug users who take bikes to sell for drugs.

“One of the big problems is that people on limited incomes can’t afford decent bike locks, so they just buy cheap ones which can easily be broken using just a pair of scissors, if they even bother locking them at all.

“We are organising a community bike marking event in Gallatown park in the next month to act as a deterrent, and we would urge owners to lock their bikes away or take them indoors.

“I’ve also been in touch with the council about providing more bike storage facilities for people living in flats.”

Sergeant Jimmy Adamson who is in charge of community policing in Kirkcaldy, said there had been no increase in reported bike thefts.

“We would encourage people to keep their bikes secure and visit www.sustrans.org.uk for more advice,” he said.