Cyber thieves target bike sellers

Bike owners are being warned not to give out too much information

Some motorbike sellers are putting out a "welcome mat" to thieves by posting personal details on classified websites, a police force has warned.

Tayside Police said intelligence showed thieves were accessing sites to obtain address details of sellers and using them to steal bikes.

The force said people should avoid posting location details in future adverts.

They urged sellers to consult the sites themselves for tips on avoiding risks.

Crime prevention officer for Dundee Pc Colin Brough said: ''We have clear indications that motorbike thieves are looking at classified ad sites to target bikes to steal.

"Unfortunately, some people put too much information on their posting, 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 quite literally put out the welcome mat by including a mapping system that provides directions virtually straight to the door of the seller."

The force said sellers and bloggers should look again at their postings and take "all possible steps" to ensure there is nothing to alert a thief to the location of their vehicles.