THE grandmother of a girl who has had her bike stolen four times in a matter of months is calling for police to take action to prevent it from happening again.

Sylvia Styles, 55, of Brignallmoor in Darlington's Firthmoor area, said bikes belonging to her ten-year-old granddaughter Bethany had been repeatedly stolen from near their home.

The latest theft took place last Thursday evening.

Bikes belonging to Bethany and her friend Lauren Howgate were both stolen.

Mrs Styles feels that police are not doing enough to prevent further thefts, despite the installation of closed circuit television cameras in the area.

She has taken matters into her own hands and is offering a £50 reward for the return of the latest bikes stolen.

"It's just getting past a joke," said Mrs Styles.

"There was something on at the local community centre and the kids shot off to it and left their bikes chained up outside.

"Normally they'd leave them in the garden, but you still hope that they'll be safe when they're chained up."

Mrs Styles said the security cameras do not protect people from the burglaries.

"They have put cameras up, but only put them up around the main road," said Mrs Styles.

"Kids know that this is one area where cameras do not reach."

Mrs Styles is calling for more security cameras. She knows of several neighbours who have had bicycles stolen.

She said: "I'm prepared to put up a £50 reward, even though I can't afford it - I hadn't even paid for Bethany's bike yet as I had put it on my Argos card."

Paul Harker, of Darlington CID, said that police were setting up a new initiative to deal with crimes of this nature but warned that bikes should not be left unsecured.

He said: "If you're leaving bikes outside, people know that they are there and they'll take them.

"We'll do whatever we can, but we need the public to take care themselves as well."

Bethany's bike is a light green BMX, and Lauren's bike is a black Mongoose-style.

Anybody with information on either of the two bikes can call Durham Constabulary on 0845 6060365.