'staggered' by CCTV dearth in Oxford after bike theft

Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said she was “staggered” after limited CCTV coverage in Oxford city centre coincided with the theft of her electric cargo bike. She locked the bike at The Plain on Friday night between 22:50 BST and 23:30, then found it missing when she returned. Moran described that area as a “CCTV blackspot,” despite a fatal crash that killed cyclist Ling Felce in 2023. Thames Valley Police (TVP) said it is reviewing possible camera relocations after “extensive surveys” to identify suitable locations. The force also said work is ongoing to transfer camera ownership to the Thames Valley CCTV Partnership, involving police and the crime commissioner Matthew Barber and local councils. TVP figures cited in the report show 155 reported bike thefts in Oxford Central from the start of 2026 to the end of May.