THEFTS of bicycles have increased in Bradford and West Yorkshire over the last three years - and cyclists are now being urged to tighten security to deter thieves.

A total of 7,147 bikes have been stolen in West Yorkshire since April 2015, with 1,130 of them reported stolen in the Bradford district.

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Telegraph and Argus show the east side of Bradford was the worst affected, with 251 taken from owners between April 2015 and January of this year.

Two hundred and two were stolen in the south of Bradford, 152 thefts took place in the city and 149 were recorded in the west of the district.

But out of more than 1,000 reports across the district, just 12 resulted in the culprit being brought to account.

You can use our interactive map to check every recorded bike theft in your part of the district.

Further afield, 174 were stolen in Shipley and 148 are missing from cyclists in Keighley.

The location of 54 stolen bikes in Bradford was not recorded by officers.

In West Yorkshire, 2,562 bikes were stolen in 2016 and 2,605 were stolen last year. In Bradford, 401 and 405 were stolen in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The police figures also show that the number of thefts reached three figures in the first month of this year when 131 were recorded.

One of the thefts took place on January 2 when a black, red and white Ribble Carbon road bike, pictured, was stolen in a burglary at a property in Robin Lane, Heckmondwike, in the early hours of the morning.

David Robison, director of Capital of Cycling in Hall Ings, who has had three of his own bikes stolen in Bradford, said he believes the figures would be much higher if everyone who had their bike stolen in Bradford reported it to the police.

He said: "The figure would be three times that much, but if they are low value bikes then people don't report them stolen to the police.

"I have no doubt it's higher.

"You need to have very good quality locks or to make sure they are insured, but not everyone can afford that.

"You need to have two D-locks to put through the bike wheel and frame.

"There needs to be investment in more secure bike parking where you need a swipe card to get in.

"The impact means a loss of transport and the sense of being violated.

"It's important and as valuable to some people as a car."

Capital of Cycling collects unused bikes and repairs them, and has facilities to give disabled children the opportunity to try it out.

Mr Robison said he has seen two bikes belonging to the shop stolen in broad daylight, including one which had been adapted for disabled youngsters.

He claims the bike was stolen by thieves during an event last summer in City Park, while a bike was taken away from the shop earlier this month when a man pretending to be a customer asked to try out a bike and cycled off.

Anthony Thomson, a community development manager, works at Capital of Cycling and said he has been a victim of bicycle theft six times.

Even when he has used a good quality lock, thieves have still found a way to remove it and cycle off.

He said: "A new thing is people dismantle them in the street and sell parts of the bike.

"This used to be confined to London, but increasingly we are hearing about it in Bradford and Leeds.

"The last bike I had stolen was secured with a D-lock and a prising bar was used to open it."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We would encourage anyone who is a victim of theft of any kind to report the matter to police, so that we can accurately record crime when and where it occurs and identify emerging threats and priorities which may need additional resources allocating to them."

To report a theft phone 101 or use the West Yorkshire Police website at www.westyorkshire.police.uk.

Information on tips to keep your bicycle safe can also be found on the site.