A police operation to target bike thieves and improve cycle safety has started in Aberdeen.

Operation Lathe will run for the month of June and aims to prevent, deter and detect bike thefts.

Officers will carry out both covert and high-visibility patrols as part of the programme.

Sergeant David Cowie who is leading the operation, said: "From the start of January to the start of May, 142 bicycles were reported stolen in Aberdeen which averages out at around eight bikes per week.

"The cost of a typical bike can range from a couple of hundred pounds up to several thousands of pounds. So, at least a few thousand pounds worth of bikes are stolen every week.

"Obviously when the weather is better more people use their bikes or go and purchase new ones to use so it's a good time of year to run the initiative.

"A number of bikes are stolen because they are left insecure so a big area of work will be to educate bike owners directly and also by visiting local bike shops in the city to ask them to promote bike security to their customers."