One of Mayor Sadiq Khan's repeated pledges is the need for the police to be able to confidently crack down on the spate of petty and serious crime blighting the capital.
However, official figures paint a more depressing and sadly deeply familiar picture.
Nationally, more than 365,000 bike thefts reported to police have gone unsolved since 2019 – equating to 89 per cent of all cases, according to Home Office data released.
Just 3 per cent of reported bike thefts in the past five years have resulted in a charge or summons which led some cyclists to believe it is no longer the case of if somebody will attempt to steal their bike - but when?
So, in perhaps the clearest definition possible of the phrase 'play stupid games, win stupid prizes', MailOnline put the trust of the general public to the ultimate test by leaving a bike unlocked in a Central London location.
