Police are urging people to protect their vehicles after a spate of motorbike thefts.

In a post on its Facebook page yesterday, the Bermuda Police Service said that almost 50 motorcycles had been reported stolen in the past 30 days — with more than 40 taken from outside private homes.

“A smaller number were taken from car parks, either in the City of Hamilton, or at a place of business,” said the post.

“Of note, all the bikes stolen were secured with only the handlebar lock, or not locked at all.

According to the post, an attached video taken from a security camera “shows how easy it is for a thief to make off with a bike that’s secured in that manner only”.

The post added: “Typically, motorcycles are stolen for joy riding, stripping of their parts, or in some instances, engaging in criminal activity.

“Always remove keys from the ignition, even if you intend on being away from your bike for only a short time.

“Remember to always use a secondary lock, like a wheel lock, in addition to the handlebar lock.

“Where possible, the secondary lock should be used to attach the motorcycle to a fixed object.

“Also, if the motorcycle has an alarm system, it should be activated any time the motorcycle is left parked and unattended.”

It added: “Despite this latest surge in motorcycle thefts, police officers have recently recovered a number of suspected stolen motorcycles and relevant inquiries continue.”