Bike stockists and cyclists were recently asked to consider buying bike insurance policies during the coming festive season.

The persuasion comes after reports suggested that the crime rate could rise significantly this Christmas.

It was revealed that regions which have been hit by the recession the hardest will see a large number of people turning to crime during the holiday.

As increased levels of cash and stock will be kept on premises, various businesses, including bike retailers will be extremely attractive to burglars during this time of the year.

An expert from the insurance industry said that crime against businesses is an extremely serious issue and it is very likely that there will be a rise in crime during Christmas because of the financial downturn.

Therefore, businesses of all kinds, have been urged to work with the police and local communities so that they can protect themselves and take sensible precautions. Ensuring they have proper insurance in case the worst happens is the least they can do during this time. London, Manchester, Bristol and Halifax are the regions that have been highlighted most at risk.

The most vulnerable to these thefts at the moment are bikes. It is for this reason that every year an estimated 50,000 bikes are stolen in Britain.