Gardaí in Wicklow have come up with a novel way of warning cyclists about theft during National Bike Week.

It kicked off on Saturday and gardaí in Bray have a number of bikes which have been painted blue and yellow - the garda colours - to be placed in areas where there is a high rate of bike theft.

An information panel with contact details for the nearest garda station - and tips on how best to secure your bike - will also be on a panel on these bikes.

Tomorrow, numerous garda stations along the DART line will be doing a leaflet drop at the stations, as these are places with a high rate of bike theft.

The main aim of the initiatives are to create awareness and inform people about preventative measures that can be taken to keep your bike safe.

"Bike theft is on the rise in Wicklow and nationally and we want to address this issue," said Garda Sergeant John FitzPatrick.

"Something we would really like to emphasise to cyclists is the importance of reporting a stolen bike."

"We have countless stolen bikes that have been recovered but if they are not reported to us then we have no way to reunite them with their owners."

"Another point is that when we catch a person with a stolen bike, it is extremely difficult for us to prosecute if we have no complainant," he added.

If you have had a bike stolen, then you are advised to check www.garda.ie or the Garda Flickr account to see if your bike is among those that have been recovered.