Police in Wales have advised cyclists to increase their Strava security settings following an increase in bike thefts in Llanelli and Carmarthenshire.
It appears that thieves may have been targeting high-value bikes through tracking routes appearing on Strava.
DC Ciaran Ryan, of Llanelli CID, told The Llanelli Star, “Some victims were using websites and mobile phone apps to log their cycle routes. These apps allow users to track their rides and view the rides of others on a map.
“Some GPS data is shared publicly on these sites and is so accurate it pinpoints the exact house where their rides have begun and ended. This information, along with the facility to post a description and photos of bicycles owned, give a potential thief all the information they need to steal the bike.
“We are encouraging users of these apps and websites to check their privacy settings to ensure their home address is hidden, and to consider not recording their ride until several streets away from their home address.”
