POLICE are urging quad bike owners to be on their guard after a spate of burglaries.

Four quad bikes were stolen in the space of a few days last week in the Stroud and Cotswolds area including one near Dursley.

Between 6pm on Monday January 25 and 7.30am the following day, a Yamaha Bruin quad bike was stolen from an address in Coaley.

The day before a red Honda TRX was stolen from a shed in Newington.

Earlier in the week a further two quad bikes were stolen from Stroud and Salperton.

PC Mark Godsland, divisional crime prevention design advisor for the area, said: "Quad bikes are not only used for recreation but also as a valuable part of modern day farming.

"However, they can be a valuable commodity for thieves and it’s therefore very important that owners make sure that they are secured properly.

"A number of different products are available to secure quad bikes, including a drive on clamp ramp and various padlocks and chains. However, these items should be used in addition to simple crime prevention methods such as making sure the ignition key is removed and ensuring that the garage or shed it’s in is kept locked."

If you would like more information on crime prevention methods you can contact your local Crime Reduction Officer on 0845 090 1234.