Police are urging bike-jacking victims to attract the attention of other drivers as they seek to combat the new trend in bike theft.

There has been three attacks in two days. In the early hours of Sunday morning a 53-year-old Paget man was attacked by at least five youths who tried to steal his motorbike at the junction of Court and Victoria street at 1.45 a.m.

He needed hospital treatment for head wounds after being kicked in his head and body.

However the other two attacks occurred in daylight the following day by people dressed in black who stole brand new Yamaha V50s from 16-year-olds.

Police said the trend for bike jacking had been going on for months on South Road in Devonshire and Paget.

Generally two males on one bike rode up to a lone rider and forced the victim to stop before intimidating or assaulting the victim and taking the cycle.

The Police statement advised the public to be alert.

It said: "Individuals should try and attract the attention of passing motorists for help if they encounter the situation.

"We are also advising the public to take the license plates of individuals riding and acting in a suspicious manner."

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Terry Lister blamed the new trend on the impact of drugs which statistics showed was behind 85 percent of crime.

He said any increase in crime or the boldness of the crime worried him and he urged the Police would get on top of it.

But he said crime spates were often linked to a small group of individuals and could often be traced back to people recently released from Westgate.