POLICE chiefs have been left with a big problem after the theft of bins caused their crime figures to soar.

Clitheroe would normally have about 20 reported thefts in the town in two weeks.

But since the three-stream waste system was introduced a fortnight ago, there has been a spate of thefts of bins.

It is suspected the bins may be being stolen by residents who feel that one bin is not enough for all their family's waste.

This then sets a chain reaction' of other bins being stolen as people look for replacements.

In two weeks there have been seven reports of the new bins being stolen from outside homes in Clitheroe.

As a result in the crime figures thefts have gone up by about 30 per cent in Clitheroe.

Now Sgt Rob Evans, of Clitheroe Police, is urging residents to keep their bins out of sight in a bid to reduce the number of thefts.

Sgt Evans said crime levels in the town had been left looking unduly high by the wheelie bin thefts.

He said: "We've had quite a few of them going missing since they have been rolled out in Clitheroe.

"It's annoying when we have been targeting other types of crime and incidents like this keep happening.

"Residents need to be a little more careful with their wheelie bins.

"Maybe they can put them in their garages or back yards in a bid to keep them out of site of thieves.

"Even if people don't have access to a garage or yard, they should keep an eye on them."

The wheelie bins, which are part of Ribble Valley Council's three-stream waste recycling system, started being handed out to Clitheroe residents at the start of the month.

Ribble Valley Council said that if a bin does go missing residents should notify them and it will be replaced free of charge.

However, they must have reported it to the police and have a crime number in order for it to be replaced without charge.