The porter alerted the police who took over the investigation. The bicycles were identified as the two stolen bicycles and seized. The man by the van, a 59-year-old man from Lithuania, was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and is still being held for questioning at the police station in Alkmaar. 

The bicycles will be returned to their rightful owners. 

Tips to Prevent Bicycle Theft

• Note as many features of your bike as possible on a bike registration card.
• Use a storage facility.
• Do not leave your bike in an unlit place at night.
• Ensure a good lock on the door of your shed or storage.

How Do I Secure My Bike?

• The ideal situation is to secure both the frame and both wheels. If you only secure your wheels, they can still steal your bike or ride away with the bike without a wheel. If you park your bike for a longer period, at least secure the frame.
• Secure your bikes frame to a fixed object that thieves cannot move. For example, to a pole.
• Use good locks and possibly even two (different) locks.
• If you use a chain or cable lock, attach it high and loose. High off the ground makes it difficult to use bolt cutters, and cutting is harder when the lock is loose. When a chain lock hangs low to the ground, the ground can be used to break a lock.
• A U-lock is best hung as low as possible. Fill the space within the U as much as possible.
• Install a vehicle tracking system with GPS in your bike. This allows the police to trace where your vehicle is located after a possible theft.

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