PROFESSIONAL thieves are targeting Medway's motorcycles and scooters, stealing an average of one a day since the beginning of the year. Mick Easton, star of the TV programme Survivor, is set to spearhead a new police campaign to tackle the thefts.

Mr Easton, a police officer and keen motorcyclist, is warning owners to secure their motorbikes and scooters by locking them to lampposts or railings. He said: "If a thief wants your bike, he'll get it but you have to make it difficult for him.

"Always secure it to something so it can't be taken away easily. Many bikes and scooters can just be lifted up and carried away by two people" Mr Easton's 1135cc Honda Blackbird is protected with a data tag, which has thousands of microdots each with a unique serial number that can be traced by police.

His bike has also been sprayed with smart water. This is is a type of water containing chemicals with a unique DNA which can be identified.

The campaign, Operation Engine, aims to provide practical crime prevention guidance to motorcycle owners. So far this year, more than 70 motorcycles and scooters have been stolen from the Medway area with an estimated value of £65,000.

More than 80 per cent of the bikes have a 125cc engine or below and most are the fashionable 50cc scooters or mopeds.

Four makes of motorcycle most commonly stolen are Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaaki. They have been stolen from Walderslade, Chatham, Rochester and Lower Gillingham.

Det Insp Jackie Luckhurst said: "We hope that by releasing information about the incidents reported to us other motorcycle owners will be more aware."

Anyone with information about motorbike thefts should call PC Gordon Lindsay or PC Mark Bloomfield. They are both members of the Operation Engine team and can be contacted on 01634 884014.