POLICE are planning a series of undercover operations to tackle Oxford’s “massive problem” with bike thefts.

Although thefts have dropped slightly in 12 months, the city still accounts for one third of all bike thefts across the Thames Valley Police region, which includes Slough, Reading and Maidenhead.

Last night, Det Insp Paul Miller said there was a lot to do in the city if bike theft rates were to keep falling.

From April 2010 to March this year, 2,023 bikes were stolen in Oxford, down from 2,137 the previous year, which was a record high.

Across the Thames Valley, 6,280 cycles were stolen in the same period.

Last night, cyclists in the city said people needed to take more responsibility for their bikes.

Mr Miller, from Oxford Priority Crime, said: “There will be covert operations in the city centre.

“We are planning these alongside various other operations, which I obviously can’t discuss in any more detail at this time.

“We will also be talking to the county’s young offenders about bike crime, with a number being taught about bike repairs and maintenance “Bike theft is still a massive problem in Oxford, but we are moving in the right direction.

“We have focused heavily on bike theft to stop the increase, and neighbourhood teams across the city have worked hard to arrest a number of offenders.”

In January, 102 bikes were stolen; in February, 139; and in March, 175 were taken.

For the same three months last year, the figures were 106, 113 and 150.

Mr Miller added: “This shows usual seasonal variation and it is what we would expect.

“In January, fewer people cycle and the students are not in the city, so rates are always lower then.”

James Styring, Oxford Mail columnist and chairman of campaign group Cyclox, said a ‘cycle hub’ in the city would help alleviate the problem.

He said: “Some cyclists make it easy for thieves by either using flimsy locks or chaining their bikes to things like fences or signs.

“In Cambridge there is a manned cycle hub, which has CCTV and can store about 500 bikes. Cyclists pay about £1 to leave their bikes there.

“A similar scheme in Oxford would work very well and would make it a lot more difficult for people to take bikes.”

Adam Parnell, 24, who cycles every day to his Oxford bank clerk job from his home in Littlemore, had his bike stolen last June.

He said: “It is down to people to make sure their bikes are registered and secured. The police can’t do anything if people aren’t taking precautions themselves.”

Last month, police and city council officers joined forces to clear the city of cycles left chained to lamposts, railings and stands.

Under the scheme, all abandoned bikes will be tagged and removed after two weeks.