Cycle theft in Cambridge has fallen by 70% since 2019, thanks to partnership working to tackle cycle crime in the city.

A multi-agency task group, led by Cambridge City Council as part of the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership, was set up in 2019 to address cycle crime in the city.

Partners have delivered a series of targeted measures to deter theft, protect bikes and support enforcement. These include:

• Extending and upgrading the cycle parking area at Queen Anne Terrace, which is now access-controlled and is further supported by 12 CCTV cameras in the wider car park.
• Installing 16 CCTV cameras in the city centre, covering approximately 650 cycle parking spaces.
• Offering free bike marking throughout the city – with 1,750 bikes marked between 1 April and 31 December 2025 in Cambridge.
• Using enhanced enforcement measures, such as Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) to deter and stop individual offenders.
• Encouraging responsible bike users to love, list and lock their bikes to help keep bikes as safe as possible.

The strengthened partnership approach has significantly reduced opportunities for cycle crime to be carried out while making it easier for residents to park their bikes with confidence.

Cllr Mike Todd-Jones, Cabinet Member for Safety, Wellbeing and Tackling Homelessness, said: “We are proud to continue working in partnership to tackle cycle crime. We have made real, sustained progress since 2019, and I am truly grateful to all the partners involved.

“Cycle crime has been a big concern for residents, and I am pleased our work is helping to address and ease those worries. No one should have to worry about being a victim of cycle crime. Cambridge is known for its cycling culture, which is good for the planet, good for personal health and part of what makes our city so special.

“If you haven’t already, please take a moment to make a note of your bike’s details, follow the recommended steps when locking up your bike and register your bike. These simple actions really do help to keep your bike safe and aids recovery if stolen.”

If your bike is stolen, please report it to the police. You should also inform Bike Register – a bicycle marking and registration scheme that helps to search for and recover stolen bikes.

Cambridge Community Safety Partnership

The partnership, Cambridge Community Safety Partnership, brings together the city and county councils, police, fire and probation services, transport police, and health, as well as local business, voluntary and higher education organisations.

Together, they look at what community safety issues people in Cambridge are experiencing and decides what actions to take to prevent or deal with these issues together. Long-term concerns about cycle theft were identified as an area of concern for the community, leading to the task group being established in 2020.