A CYCLIST who fell victim to two bike thefts in the space of one month feels there is “no point” in owning one any more.

Steve Gladwin, of Hampden Road in Brighton, had his bike of seven years stolen in July from Brighton Station, where he leaves it to commute to London for work.

The 52-year-old, who works in communications for the NHS, then replaced it with a £600 state of the art Giant model.

Steve would leave his bike at a bay in Islingword Street, near his home, as he does not have space to take it through his house.

As he went to get his bike from its usual spot last Monday, Steve found the front wheel was taken off his new bike.

He said: “It just feels like there is no point owning a bike in Brighton any more.

“The reason I try to leave it on the street is because it’s a tight space to get it through our house and they make the house dirty.

“Now I’m going to have to start bringing it in because of this.

“I leave my house at about 6.20am to catch the 6.30am train. I work hard all day to earn the money to pay for my bike. It’s not fair.”

Steve said his first bike that was stolen had sentimental value which added to the pain of having it stolen.

He said: “I bought it with money that my dad left me. Thieves don’t take things like that into account when they steal.”

After the first incident, Steve paid £40 for a new lock.

He has now been hit with a bill of £90 for a new front wheel as well.

Steve’s front wheel theft follows a spike in bike thefts across Brighton and Hove, as The Argus revealed recently.

The crime has risen by more than 60 per cent, with 135 bikes reported stolen in the city last month - compared to 82 thefts last August.

Steve did not report his front wheel being stolen because he felt it would be too hard to trace.

He feels that with bicycles so popular in the city, it leaves the door open to thieves.

Steve said: “There are loads of bikes parked where I leave mine. It’s easy pickings for them.”

If you want to report a bike theft, you should call Sussex Police on 101.