Bicycle thieves target Australian Open

MELBOURNE - A gang of bicycle thieves is expected to target the Australian Open following reports that around ten bikes were stolen in a day from outside the grand slam tournament last week.

Bicycle Victoria has issued a warning to cyclists after receiving numerous reports of robberies at Melbourne Park in the past few days.

The Age quoted Bicycle Victoria spokesman Garry Brennan as saying that a man whose bike was stolen had returned to a bike rack at Melbourne Park to find five locks had been cut through and were lying on the ground.

“Another cyclist said the police had told him that they’d had 10 reports of bicycle thefts in one day. If it is 10 bikes then it has almost got to be an organised gang,” he added.

Brennan also said that thieves could have been using heavy-duty bolt cutters to destroy locks and cables used to secure the bicycles.

Bicycle Victoria has urged cyclists to use more firm lock to secure their bikes to a fixed objects.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police had received eight reports of bicycles being stolen from Melbourne Park in the past week. (ANI)