Tayside Police is warning potential sellers of motorcycles and scooters to be cautious about the amount of information they give out on-line when advertising their bikes for sale.

Crime prevention officer for Dundee, Constable Colin Brough, said, “We have clear indications thieves are looking at classified ad sites.

“Unfortunately, some people give too much information, including photos of the bike that also show the shed or garage door behind and whether there is much in the way of security.

“Some of the postings literally put out the welcome mat by including a mapping system that provides directions straight to the door of the seller.”

Constable Brough said owners should also be cautious putting information on social networking sites as thieves — thought to include a hardcore of teenage criminals — are scouring such pages too.

He said, “Many bikers have blogs on these sites that include a lot of information about them, often with photographs showing them on their motorcycles.

“A lot of these photos give strong clues as to the location of where these bikes are being stored and where they can potentially be stolen from.

“I must stress there is absolutely nothing wrong with the sites themselves, or with anyone using them — all include good information on how to keep safe when using them.

“But it is the amount of personal information that individuals are giving out that is giving us real cause for concern.”

Police recommend people look again at their postings and take all possible steps to ensure there is nothing there to alert the eagle-eyed thief to the location of their vehicles.

Those who are selling a motorbike via a classified ads site are advised not to give out a home phone number, or use a mapping system showing the way to their door.

Constable Brough added, “Be assured Tayside Police is taking the issue of motorbike theft very seriously and we are targeting those responsible.

“But we need assistance from motorcycle owners.

“By reducing the amount of information they make widely available, they can reduce the chances of their being a victim of crime.”

Alan Kelly, chief instructor at the Scotriders Motorcycle Rider Training School, advised, “Make your deterrent as visible as possible, whether this be an alarm sticker on the bike or an ‘armed’ LED in clear view.

“On your shed or garage have a clear warning sign and your alarm ‘bell box’ clearly visible.

“And if you don’t have a garage or shed then use a cover.”

ONLY A FEW CLICKS AWAY

A few clicks of the mouse today revealed just how easy it is for Internet-savvy thieves to identify targets in and around Dundee (writes Steven Bell).

On one popular classified ad site we were, within minutes, looking at pictures of a motorbike which was offered for sale.

The owner had posted only his mobile number but, alarmingly, the page also included a map to a house where the machine could be viewed.

A separate page had a map directing people to a residential street in east Dundee where a mini-moto dirt bike — the kind popular with young people — was for sale.

A local advertiser told the Tele, “I got a phone call from someone at the police about my listing, but I told them I’m not keeping the bike at the place shown on the map.

“There is a problem with thefts, but it’s more with scrambler bikes than road bikes.

“I’ve heard that they follow people home from the scrambler tracks.

“One of my mates had his bike stolen and the people who did it even put pictures of it on the Internet. I think they were charged in the end, but he’s never got the bike back.”

A trawl through the major social networking sites today also provides pages with pictures of local bikes and enough details for criminals to identify the owners’ location.

BIKERS FORUM

The Dundee Bikers Forum is the biggest on-line discussion platform for the area’s bikers and the subject of motorcyle thefts is routinely a hot topic.

“For a start, we’re sick of hearing neds on stolen bikes being described as ‘bikers’ — they’re not, they’re thieves,” said a spokesman.

“They give the biking world a bad name and clearly couldn’t care less about other peoples property.

“We appreciate the efforts of the police in tackling this problem and urge everyone to follow their advice.

“We understand they can’t go chasing these people through residential areas but do urge the police to put as much effort into dealing with this issue as they do in cracking down on relatively minor matters such as small number plates and tinted visors.