Police Scotland has failed to clear up nine out of ten bike thefts in the last three years.
This is in spite of 14,000 cases being reported during the period.
In Edinburgh, there were 4022 thefts between January 2020 and December 2022 but only eight per cent were 'detected', meaning there was enough evidence to justify criminal proceedings.
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The low detection rates were contained in a freedom of information request.
As reported by the Daily Record, Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur said: “It looks like criminals are getting a free ride under the SNP and Greens.
“Bike theft is disruptive and distressing for victims, and the vanishing chance of ever seeing the thief caught or punished simply makes that worse. It’s not surprising given how overstretched and underfunded the police are under the SNP.”
Elsewhere, of the 13,959 thefts between January 2020 and December last year, 4092 were in Greater Glasgow with the same eight per cent detection rate as the capital.
There were 866 thefts in Tayside over the piece and 548 in Lanarkshire.
The national detection rate is around 11 per cent.
A police insider said the low number of ‘solved’ bicycle thefts was due to many stolen bikes never getting recovered, so forensic opportunities and lines of enquiry are “limited”.
McArthur said: “Figures like these will see some people pause for thought before making journeys by bike, and that’s bad news at a time when we should be doing all we can to support active travel.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to invest in secure cycle storage, to encourage people to register their bikes with the national cycle database, and to give the police the resources they need to do the job.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are committed to thoroughly investigating any and all reported crimes and bike thefts are no exception.
“We understand that bike theft has a distressing impact on local communities and falling victim to crime is an upsetting experience.
“Our officers will pursue whatever forensic and CCTV opportunities are available in their efforts to track down any stolen bikes and find those responsible.
“Prevention is key in avoiding thefts of this nature, and cyclists can take simple steps to make stealing their equipment more difficult. We encourage people to treat their bicycles in the same manner as they would any other vehicle - if you’re leaving it somewhere outside, for example, during your working day, ensure it is secured with a solid lock and don’t leave items in panniers or bike bags.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Recorded crime is at the lowest level seen since 1974, and down 42 per cent since 2006-07 but of course we understand it is upsetting for anyone to be a victim of theft. Police Scotland are committed to thoroughly investigating any and all reported crimes and bike thefts are no exception.
“Despite UK Government austerity, and in recognition of the crucial role Police Scotland officers and staff play keeping our communities safe, the service is receiving additional resource funding of £80 million in 2023-24, a 6.3 per cent increase compared to 2022-23.”
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