Police believe the business of cycle thefts is under control, and new efforts toward more arrests will decrease the problem.

But with the convenience of a cycle in Bermuda traffic, even during winter weather, motorists are continuing to take advantage of the latest technology to deter cycle theft.

StopCrime Security Products has sold hundreds of alarm systems for local bikes and owner Jay O'Connor has a new product that takes crime prevention one step further.

Just three of the firm's customers have reported stolen bikes, and they were owners who failed to arm their alarms before leaving their bikes unattended.

But the new CycleGuard CG-1000 is a bike alarm that will arm itself if you forget. It includes a key chain remote control device and is available at various cycle shops. A sensitive motion detector is incorporated into the product which is hidden on the bike. Any attempt to pick up or move the cycle will trigger the alarm's 115 decibel siren and cause the bike's indicator lamps to flash.

During the week of the Christmas holiday, 20 cycles were removed, just under three a day. While that pales in comparison to the nearly seven stolen bikes a day for the whole of 1994 (1995: nearly six a day), police still advise motorists to secure their vehicles before leaving them unattended.

Sergeant Ken Lewis, in charge of the Police motorcycle squad, said, "The reason that cycle stealing is down is because many of the major players involved in this activity for monetary gain -- actually doing it for business -- are presently incarcerated. But there will always be up and coming young fellows who dabble in this. There is a fraternity out there who are aware of the market for certain bike parts. They call them `chopping shops'. There has always been a market because a lot of these brand new parts are not cheap.'' Mr. O'Connor said that his device works on any bike that has a 12-volt battery. "I've installed these alarms in all different types of bikes. There have been just a few where it didn't fit. But all new bikes being sold these days, except for the six volt battery ones, I can fit.

"It hooks up to the bike's ignition, and prevents it from being started. It can also be automatically programmed to arm itself after the key is turned off. There is also a pre-warning system because it is typical for people to move a bike in the parking bay, when they are trying to move theirs in. If you just touch the bike, it makes a brief, initial sound that indicates there is an alarm. It will only continue and activate the main alarm when you continue to move it.''