With bike theft on the rise in Carlow & Kilkenny gardai launch their Blue Bike campaign

Measures to combat bicycle theft have stepped up locally with the local launch of An Garda Siochana’s Blue Bike Campaign.

Bike theft has been on the rise for the past three years; 45 in Carlow & Kilkenny have been reported stolen so far this year with 91 going missing last year.

The initiative, which was launched by the policing body nationally three years ago, initially focused on colleges.  But this week gardai at their plan reveal at MacDonagh Junction told KCLR News that the idea is to extend that out.

In short it’s an awareness initiative which aims to educate the public to secure their bicycles when left unattended.

Crime Prevention Officer Sgt Peter McConnon says “2016 saw €100,000 worth of bicycles stolen from third level institutes in Ireland, in Kilkenny & Carlow what we have looked at is maybe extending this from the third level institute of Carlow IT & going out into each of the local areas with the blue bike campaign so we’re kicking it off in Kilkenny’.

Sgt McConnon outlined how their prop for the launch was “Basically a disused or old bike that is taken apart and sprayed completely top to bottom with blue cobalt paint & then it’s fitted with decals with the garda confidential phone number, it has a cut out piece of foam in the middle of it basically the wording that the gardai are monitoring the location & is your bike secure”.

That bike will remain at MacDonagh Junction to remind people to lock their own securely.

Fliers were also handed out on the day with information on what locks offer the best protection & what to look out for when parking bikes in public.