Protect yourself against bike theft

Bike theft is a hot topic right now. UK police crime open data have released the latest statistics on bike theft – particularly where you are most likely to find that your beloved bicycle has gone walkabout. Oxford is number one, with 846 bike thefts reported in one year.

Bike theft hotspots 2013/14

1 – Oxford OX1 – 846 thefts reported

2 – Cambridge CB1 – 781

3 – London SE1 – 734

4 – Oxford OX4 – 572

5 – Cambridge CB2 – 564

6 – London E1 – 557

7 – Bristol BS1 – 497

8 – Portsmouth PO1 – 495

9 – Leicester LS1 – 491

10 – London N1 – 456

According to a leading insurer, cyclists own their bikes for, on average, 23 months before they are stolen. One in five bike owners have their new rides stolen within six months.
What’s even more amazing is a third of bike theft victims do not report the thefts to police.

What can you do about it?

1. Before you even buy your bike, you can help prevent bike theft.
checkthatbike.co.uk gives you the opportunity to make sure you aren’t purchasing a stolen bicycle. Enter the frame number or asset tag, and check that bike! Not only will it give you peace of mind about your purchase, but if it is stolen, you could be the key to reuniting a much-loved bike with its owner! How’s that for a good deed?

2. Make sure you get the right lock.
Nobody wants to spend lots of money on boring things like locks, but you probably should. Twenty quid just isn’t enough. Not only that, but you should spend even more and get two locks.

The Sold Secure rating system can help you choose the best bike lock. It classes locks as Gold, Silver or Bronze. The three different levels represent how long it will take a bike thief to breach the lock.

3. Talk to the police about getting your bike tagged.
Bike tags are security stickers that give your bicycle an identity, and they’re actually surprisingly difficult to remove. If your bike is stolen, it won’t take the police long to find out. One quick scan of the tag, and it will tell them who is the real owner of your bike, and return it to you. Tagging schemes reduced Norway’s bike theft by 50%, so it is definitely worth taking the time to do.

4. If the worst should happen, report it!
This should probably go without saying, but many people do not report the theft to the police. Make sure you do!

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