“A lot of people have said to me ‘What’s the point?’ They haven’t bothered to come round to be fair, I have not heard a thing.”

“I’m sure they have more important things to worry about than a stolen bike, but I wonder if their crime statistics are so good because they don’t bother chasing anything up.”

Last week, new figures from the police revealed crime was down 13 per cent in the district of Stratford, comparing September to December 2012 with the same period in 2011.

One Herald reader said on Facebook: “This is more likely people who no longer trust the police and don’t report crime anymore.”

Gilli had to walk 40 minutes each way to work thanks to the thief.

She said: “To me it was upsetting, because it was a birthday present from my sister.

“I have to pay a lot of money for a new bike, when they’re just going to sell it for £20 for scrap.”

But thanks to the kindness of her work colleagues, she is back cycling to work after two people offered her spare bikes. “It just shows people can be really nice,” she said.

But she still hopes to recover her stolen bike, and warned the thief: “I may be little and I may be old but I still pack a punch!”