Bike thefts fall nearly 60% across Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern network
Rail operator GTR says reports of theft, vandalism and graffiti have fallen following measures introduced to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Reports of bicycle thefts have fallen by 59% across the rail network serving Sussex and the wider South East, according to train operator GTR.
The company, which runs Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services, says it has also recorded reductions in thefts of passengers' personal belongings, vandalism and graffiti.
GTR attributes the improvements to measures introduced through its Antisocial Behaviour Improvement Plan, launched in 2024, including an increased security presence and closer working with British Transport Police (BTP).
Figures released by the operator show reports of thefts involving passengers' personal property have fallen by 35% year-on-year.
Meanwhile, reported incidents of vandalism and criminal damage have dropped from 306 to 209, a reduction of almost a third.
Reports of graffiti and etching have also fallen, from 252 incidents to 147.
The figures cover GTR's wider network, rather than Sussex alone.
Tackling bicycle theft
Bicycle theft has seen the largest reported reduction, with GTR highlighting its partnership with British Transport Police as part of efforts to prevent offending.
The operator has been running events known as 'Cycle Surgeries', where commuters can receive advice on protecting their bicycles from theft.
The initiative also offers free security marking, which involves adding a permanent, unique identification code to a bicycle.
This can help police identify and recover stolen bikes.
GTR says the initiative forms part of its wider efforts to deter theft and provide reassurance to passengers.
More security officers at stations
The company has also increased the number of staff responsible for tackling antisocial behaviour on trains and at stations.
As part of its improvement plan, GTR committed to doubling the number of Travel Safe Officers working across its network.
It says 110 officers are now deployed, working alongside Rail Enforcement Officers and British Transport Police.
Their responsibilities include providing a visible presence, assisting passengers and helping to deter criminal behaviour.
GTR says increased staffing at ticket barriers has also helped reduce incidents known as 'push-throughs', where people travelling without tickets force their way through barriers behind paying passengers.
According to the operator, some parts of its network have experienced reductions of up to 80% in these incidents.
However, that figure relates to particular areas and does not represent a network-wide reduction.
'There is still a long way to go'
Jenny Saunders, GTR's Customer Service Director, said the operator remained committed to tackling antisocial behaviour.
"We're serious about tackling antisocial behaviour of any kind across our network because we know how upsetting these crimes can be."
She said the company was encouraged by the reduction in reported offences but acknowledged that further work was needed.
"Whilst these reductions are encouraging and show that our targeted action is making a difference, we know there is still a long way to go."
Ms Saunders thanked railway staff working to improve passenger safety and urged customers to continue reporting incidents.
"I want to thank our colleagues who work tirelessly every day to make our network safe and would encourage customers to continue reporting crime and antisocial behaviour on our network, so we can work together to keep these numbers moving in the right direction."
The operator says it will continue working with British Transport Police and its enforcement teams to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.
While GTR has reported reductions across several categories, its published figures do not specify the exact dates covered by the year-on-year comparisons or provide separate figures for individual train operators.
The reductions therefore reflect reported incidents and do not necessarily establish the full extent of offending across the network.