BIKE thieves are making off with hundreds of cycles each year - with city cops only catching a handful of perpetrators.

Figures exclusively obtained by the Evening Times under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the true extent of bike thefts reported in the city.

Last year, a total of 1,516 bikes were reported stolen to city cops with only 126 thieves caught according to the Police Scotland figures.

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In 2016, 1,288 bikes were stolen in the city with 91 thieves detected.

In 2015, 1,193 bikes were nicked while 71 perpetrators were caught.

Up until April this year, 354 bikes have been stolen with 126 people detected for those crimes.

Combined, the figures mean around one in every 14 cases are solved.

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The figures are revealed after the Evening Times previously reported on the work being carried out by city cops to safeguard cyclists from thefts.

Glasgow city centre cops have visited colleges and universities, which are often targeted by thieves, to provide security advice to students who use bikes.

The force also warned cyclists that thieves armed with bolt cutters were stealing bikes in city centre locations.

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Glasgow City Centre Chief Inspector Audrey Hand said: “Any crime reported to Police Scotland will be fully investigated. We do need as much information as possible from the owner including the serial number, make and model of the bike stolen. Due to this lack of information, a number of bikes recovered cannot be returned.

“We would also urge owners to carefully secure their bikes, making sure that it is locked when left unattended. It can also be registered on the National Cycle Database – www.bikeregister.com

“For further advice on bike security please visit our website on http://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/home-and-personal-property/keep-your-bicycle-secure”

We reported earlier this year that undercover cops were hunting for bike thieves who were targeting hard-working medical staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Police Scotland’s Problem Solving team held a three-week operation at the city hospital involving plain-clothed officers and uniformed cops patrolling the grounds.

Police Scotland recommend using Sold Secure locks on bikes. This is a police backed initiative whereby manufacturers of locks, submit them to Sold Secure for testing.

Sold Secure rank locks in Bronze, Silver and Gold. For bicycle security, Police Scotland recommend you use Gold level locks.