Is Your Bike Safe? Major Changes in BTP's Cycle Theft Policy

British Transport Police (BTP) has updated the cycle theft section of its Crime Screening Policy to enhance the force’s service to victims of this crime.

Changes to the Policy came into effect on 5 January 2026.

BTP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith said: “Rail passengers whose bikes are stolen rightly expect a thorough police investigation to trace offenders and reunite them with their property, and we are committed to bringing more bike thieves to justice in 2026 than ever before.

“To further improve our service to victims, and following an internal review, we have recently refreshed our Crime Screening Policy.

“Under this updated Policy, our officers will investigate more reports and explore all viable lines of enquiry if a bike is identifiable on CCTV, or if there is a witness to the crime.

“We continue to work closely with the railway industry to pinpoint hotspot locations and improve CCTV footage to further our investigations and bring offenders before the courts. 

“Since reviewing our Policy, we have already charged a man with cycle theft. Our teams across the three countries continue to work hard to keep our railway safe.”