Two wards in Westminster head the league table for cycle theft in London.
According to statistics recently released by the Metropolitan Police Service, 439 bikes were stolen in West End ward in the 12 months to 30th June, closely followed by St James's ward, with 389. The runners-up were Camden, with 348 cycle thefts in Bloomsbury and 336 in Holborn and Covent Garden. Westminster also secured 19th place, with 115 thefts in Marylebone High Street ward.
The Met says the surge, which has led to an additional 182 thefts since April in the City of Westminster, is partly due to more cycles being parked on the streets and partly to a growing market for stolen bikes.
It warns that some cyclists are failing to protect their bike properly and suggests employers could help by providing secure storage for cyclists.
Superintendent Matthew Foley warned that cycle thieves were increasingly active in Westminster. Increased patrols had failed to curb a rise in offending, with 426 cycles stolen since the start of April, compared with 244 in the same period last year - a 75% rise.
He said: "One reason is that there are a lot more people cycling, and another is that, because it's more popular, there is more of a market for stolen bicycles. I am a keen cyclist, so I do feel for people and know how infuriating it must be."
Superintendent Foley said there was growing evidence organised gangs were targeting bicycles. One favoured method is to smash locks with a hammer after putting plumbers' 'pipe freeze' into the keyhole to make them more brittle.
He said cyclists could help to reduce the risk by using more than one lock and removing any easily detachable parts, such as wheels or saddles. He added: "I use three locks myself, but I still see too many, often expensive bikes, with only flimsy locks."