LONDON bike owners have been told the best ways to stop their bikes from being stolen.

The Metropolitan Police Service has issued three nuggets of advice to bring down bike theft in the capital.

It says: "record, register and report".

Bike owners are told to write down their frame number and make marks on it so it can be identified.

They are also told to register these details at bikeregister.com.

Advice has also been given saying to report stolen bikes to the police so that databases can be checked and the owner can be contacted once it is found.

Last week more than 18 people were arrested for stealing bikes and 677 bikes were marked and registered on bikeregister.com.

Eleven bikes were returned to their rightful owners.

More than 48,000 bikes have been registered on bikeregister.com since June 2010.

Superintendent Stuart Trayler, of Safer Transport Command, said: "We urge cyclists in London to park at designated locations, securely lock them and ensure they are cycle security marked”.