THREE bicycles were snatched during a spate of thefts, two of which took place in broad daylight, around Andover at the weekend.

The first was taken from the front garden of a property on Acre Path on Saturday evening. Two more were then stolen yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, one from outside the Leisure Centre and another from the High Street.

Police are aware of all three incidents.

The Sunday incidents both took place during the afternoon, with the bike from the Leisure Centre taken some time between 4.50pm and 5.50pm and the one from the High Street between 2pm and 2.30pm.

The High Street theft happened just outside the EE phone shop where a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, locked his bike to the dedicated racks.

Less than an hour later returned to find the lock had been cut and the bike stolen.

The boy’s mother, Abby, says she was told by a witness that two men were seen kicking the lock of the bike before taking it up the alley next to Topshop. She suspects that bolt cutters were used by the thieves.

“It looked like it had been cut because they left the lock behind,” she said. “It wasn’t the broken by the combination, it was cut straight off.

“I said to him ‘it’s not your fault’. He locked it up. But he’s really gutted, it’s been his pride and joy since he got it.”

Abby adds that a security guard told them that the nearby CCTV cameras, on the outside wall of the Chantry Centre, are currently not in use.

Test Valley Borough Council have been contacted in relation to the cameras in question.

Abby has not yet given up on the stolen bikes being found, but also hopes the thefts will make other cyclists more aware of bike thieves.

She said: “If it helps to stop more of these happening or if any of these turn up that’s great, that’s all we want – and to make people aware you’ve got to be vigilant now.

“You can’t just lock your bike up now, you’ve got to be careful.”

Anyone with any information regarding the thefts is asked to contact the police on 101, quoting 44190292287 for the Acre Path theft, 44190293076 for one at the Leisure Centre and 44190292910 in relation to the High Street incident.