The system has made large parts of the campus a no-go area for anyone up to no good.

The technology is so effective it could end up being used nationwide by police forces, universities, councils, businesses and even private property owners.

The new bicycle security system has been tested for three weeks in the city centre. It is now ready to go “live” and students starting university next week will be offered one of the special locks free in a bid to drive down bicycle thefts.

When the bicycle owner locks up their bicycle they send a text to a security office to trigger the system to guard it.

If someone then moves or tries to move the bicycle a sensor in the lock emits a silent alarm which triggers a CCTV camera to zoom in and take a picture.

The sensor also sends an alarm to security staff and flashes up live images from the camera on to their monitors.

A security guard can then be sent to investigate.

The idea is the brainchild of university police officer PC Dave Fairbrother and the system was designed by SoS Response of Winchester.

The £6,000 initiative has been funded jointly by the University of Portsmouth and Hampshire Constabulary. Portsmouth City Council has funded new bicycle racks to help make the scheme a success.  

PC Fairbrother said: “Bicycle theft is a huge problem and in the past it was often luck if a bicycle thief was caught. The CCTV cameras could be pointing the wrong way, for example.

“But with this technology we will always be watching and any attempted thefts of locked bicycles will result in the thief being captured on camera.

“The motion sensor lock will also act as a deterrent.

“I want to make criminals think twice before targeting us – I want them to think ‘don’t go on university grounds, they’ve got excellent technology’.”

Managing director of SoS Response, Leonard Weaver, said: “This solution to bike thefts is unique. It is the first of its kind and has huge potential for a wide range of applications.”