The Kingston Police Force (KPF) reported 10 bike thefts in Kingston during the past week, which makes 20 thefts so far this month.

Luke Corry, a Queen’s student who reported an attempted theft on the Overheard at Queen’s Facebook page, said he caught a man trying to cut the lock off his bike on Sunday.

According to Corry, the thief had a female accomplice and they left a white diamondback bike behind as they fled the scene.

According to Constable Bill Roth at the KPF, there was a notable increase between June and August this year, compared to the previous two years.

One bike was recovered this past week, he said, and the police responded to one call reporting a theft in progress.

“Typically, the summer months and into September are the busiest months for bicycle thefts,” he said.

In September 2012, there were 43 reported bike thefts and in September 2011, there were 38 thefts.

Roth said that the areas around campus usually experience higher levels of theft versus other areas.

He said students should lock their bikes in well-lit, public areas to prevent theft.

There are other ways to avoid theft, he said, such as removing the seat or front wheel, and bringing a bicycle inside for the night.

“People should always write down the serial number of their bicycle, as well as its make, model, colour and description,” he said.

Without this information, he said, stolen bikes are difficult to recover, since there are rarely suspects, witnesses or evidence left behind.