Lido Bikes rental agency said that while over the past few years rental agencies have started to see five or six bikes stolen during the festival period this year there has been a huge increase. Last night alone five of the rented Lido bikes that were securely locked were stolen from various areas around the island.

The thieves steal the bikes often in front of the eyes of crowds and police. If challenged while cutting a lock they coolly offer some plausible story like they lost their keys and the hotel gave them a set of cutters.

FNE alerts its readers on the Lido to this escalation of bike theft by professional thieves operating during the festival and calls upon Lido visitors to immediately call one of the many police around the festival area to the scene if you see someone cutting a bike lock.   

No legitimate bike owner will object to the police asking them to identify themselves. Remember if you stand by and do nothing the next bike they grab may be yours and most bike rental shops are not insured for theft so you will have to pay the cost of replacing your bike.