bike owners continue to ignore repeated warnings to lock their vehicles securely whenever they are left unattended.

And at least one Corporation of Hamilton official and executives from both BF&M and Colonial Insurance agreed that if owners exercised more care, the number of thefts could be reduced.

So far 926 cycles have been stolen between January 1, 1995, and June 30, 1995, which translates to almost $1 million dollars in insurance claims.

"1994 was such a bad year for us,'' BF&M president Mr. Glenn Titterton said.

"We were hoping that 1995 was going to return a little closer to normal but it hasn't. It is running neck and neck with 1994.'' Mr. Titterton said that on average his company paid out about $1,000 per claim.

However, he said there were other cycles that had been included in the 926 figure that had only third party insurance which reduced the claim substantially.

Corporation of Hamilton secretary Mr. Roger Sherratt said: "Cycle thefts are an escalating problem.

"But what is very depressing is that in spite of warnings from the Police and insurance companies many people are not listening.'' Mr. Sherratt said that the Corporation had installed locking bars at the City Hall and at the Olympic Club but these services were not used as much as they could be.

"This is disappointing,'' he said. "Because it would appear that the public have not yet got the message.

"It's absolutely amazing the numbers of people who either do not lock their cycle at all or lock it only at the handle bars which is of no use whatsoever.

"Then there are those who buy expensive locks and then lock their cycle basket.'' Mr. Sherratt said the trend away from locking cycles properly was all the more disturbing because such thefts are a "multi-million dollar'' problem.

Meantime, Mr. David Panchaud, former chairman of the Chamber of Commerce's livery cycles' division conducted an informal survey in Hamilton earlier this month.

He checked 167 cycles parked in marked bays at City Hall, Front Street and near the Ferry Terminal.

Of those, 95 cycles were locked only at their front handle bars and had no extra lock. Another seven were unlocked and 11 had an extra lock attached to the handlebars. Only 54 were properly locked.

Meanwhile, a top executive at Colonial Insurance reported that their U-marking campaign for motorcycles had had some success.

"We've noticed a definite improvement, because those cycles that are U-marked are less likely to be taken,'' general manager Mr. William Madeiros said.

"It's been an expensive process but the U-marking campaign is definitely working. U-marked cycles are less attractive to thieves. Thefts are still continuing, but the signs are encouraging.'' Mr. Madeiros said his company was now moving the U-marking campaign to include second and third year cycles instead of just new vehicles.

Furthermore, he said there were plans to take the U-marking campaign into high schools.

Of the 926 cycles reported stolen so far this year -- a rate of more than five per day - only about half have been recovered.

A total of 2,536 bikes were stolen last year and 1,284 in 1993.

"Any type of bike is taken from any place,'' Bermuda Police Services spokesman Insp. Coghlin Gibbons told The Royal Gazette . "That is something we are trying to convey to the public.

"We believe there is a certain system in bike thefts but there are no discernible trends when it comes to the type of bike or the location it is removed from.

"All bikes are vulnerable all over the Island. It's that prolific.'' Insp. Gibbons said that the Police Service had not increased the number of officers who deal with cycle thefts, although there were two officers on loan to cycle squad from another branch.

They assist the sergeant and seven constables currently working in the cycle squad.