Cycle thieves beware - Surrey Police has teamed up with cycle shops in East Molesey and Long Ditton to reduce the number of criminals profiting from cycle related crime.

The thumbprint signature scheme is a low-cost yet effective way of deterring criminals from using legitimate businesses to make a profit from stolen goods.

It means that when a person wishes to sell a cycle at one of the participating stores, they will be asked to leave a thumbprint.

In the store is taking part, a second-hand cycle will not be bought if a thumbprint cannot be taken, which protects the store and its customers.

Fingerprints will only be passed on to the police if the cycle later is found to be stolen, when it will then be checked on the national fingerprint database.

Sergeant Greg Turner, said: "Unfortunately cycle theft is one of the most common crimes in the Surrey Police force area and we are looking at ways that we can prevent this.

"This scheme is there to stop thieves profiting from stolen goods but preventing them being stolen in the first place is what we would like to see."

He advised residents to invest in a good bike lock and not to leave them unattended.

Neil's Wheels, in Walton Road, East Molesey and Paul's Cycles, in Ditton Hill Road, Long Ditton are the stores taking part.