A new app to help police trace lost and stolen bikes has been launched.

The new tool promises to help police officers investigate thefts and return lost and stolen bikes to their rightful owners.

The Bike Register database app has been available to frontline officers since early December, allowing them to download it onto their phones.

The app provides cops with a comprehensive list of all bikes registered throughout the country.

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Officers can use the app to run the VIN number of any bike they find and trace it back to the real owner.

New bike owners are urged to upload their details to the Bike Register database to help police trace it in the event the bike is lost or stolen.

Sergeant Carly Bryce from Police Scotland’s acquisitive crime team said: “Our partnership with Bike Register has been really successful over the years, allowing us to help the public mark and register their bikes, but up until recently whenever we came across a potentially lost or stolen cycle, we would have to contact Bike Register directly and get them to check if the bike was on the database.

“Thanks to the development of the app for police mobile devices, we can instantaneously carry out a check ourselves and if the bike is registered and found to be in the possession of someone who is not the owner, we can respond swiftly and appropriately.

“We know that bikes are an expensive commodity and the last thing anyone wants to think about is their valued present, training equipment or mode of transport being lost or stolen, but should such an issue arise, it’s really important that the bike is registered on the database.

“You can do so by visiting www.bikeregister.com.”