To understand how bike thieves do their job and how they think might just save your bike. The most common reason for stealing bikes is financial gain or joyriding. People usually trade bikes for other goods and cash or steal them for entertainment. Sometimes, drug addicts also steal bikes for drugs.
Why are bicycles such a popular target for thieves?
After all, your bicycle becomes an extension of who you are. To reduce your bike’s risk of being taken, we’ve compiled a list of the most common reasons for why bicycles are a popular target. Bike thieves have now stepped into a whole new territory.
Can you trust us as a bike thief?
Here’s why you can trust us. Interview by Richard Cantle, founder of Stolen Ride – London ( stolenride.co.uk) A former bicycle thief has revealed the tricks of the trade in an interview, which clearly and shockingly shows the extent that thieves will go to in order to steal a bike.
Is it possible to steal a bike?
Bike stealing might be a controversial topic, but to understand how thieves think and how they actually do their “jobs” […] Bike stealing might be a controversial topic, but to understand how thieves think and how they actually do their “jobs” might just be the thing that saves you a lot of grief.
Does CCTV deter thieves from stealing bikes?
On at least one occasion, having eyed-up a bike, Aziz first stole tools before going back for the bike. CCTV it seems, is also no deterrent. "Even if there is cameras they don't care. For me the best place is to leave your bike is a place where there are people around."
What is the most stolen item in the UK?
Can you leave a bike in the open?
Is it safe to give a bike a tug?
Can cyclists be victims of bike theft?
Can you leave your bike outside overnight?
What do thieves do with stolen bikes?
Professional Thieves. They have the tools that can cut through u-locks and aim to resell stolen bikes at a price near their “fair market value.” These thieves acquire the bicycles from the streets, but then resell them on online markets to maximize the selling price.
What do people do when they steal a bike?
10 things to do if your bike's been stolen!Alert social media.List your bike as stolen.Report the theft to the police.File an insurance claim.Report it to Kryptonite or OnGuard.Check ebay, Gumtree, craigslist. How to set up alerts. ... Check the flea markets and pawn shops!Let your local bike shops know.More items...•
Why are bikes so easy to steal?
Steering locks, alarm systems, and key fobs are, in most cases, the best a motorcycle manufacturer can do. The rest is up to you. In addition, motorcycles are simply physically easier to steal than cars. Two wheels are easier to move than four; there's no need to break windows or come up with elaborate lock picks.
How do thieves steal bicycles?
Bolt cutters are one of the most popular tools that thieves use to steal bikes. They can be bought from any hardware shop and will make light work of any cable lock or cheap D locks. Bolt cutters vary in size, the biggest being 42″ and the smallest is only 6″.
Why do people steal bikes so much?
Acquisitive: These thieves steal bicycles for financial gain and usually trade them for cash or goods. The bikes may also be sold in pieces for drugs or money. In Portland, Oregon bike thieves are often drug addicts who provide stolen bicycles to drug dealers in exchange for drugs.
Where are most bikes stolen?
In 2019/2020, around 14% of bikes were stolen from “grounds of a public place”, including local shops, supermarkets, gyms, pubs, football clubs, and more. Another 5% were stolen from outside the workplace (or the workplace car park), and another 9% were taken straight from the streets.
How do thieves cut bike locks?
Levering: Thieves will use the gap between the stand and the bike left by a loosely fitted lock to insert tools such as jacks or crowbars to lever the lock apart. Thieves will even use the bike frame itself as a lever by rotating it against the stand or other stationary object to which it is locked.
What is the most stolen motorcycle?
Most stolen motorcycle makes in the United States in 2019CharacteristicNumber of theftsAmerican Honda Motor Co., Inc.8,122Yamaha Motor Corporation6,495Harley Davidson, Inc.4,737American Suzuki Motor Corporation4,6869 more rows•Oct 6, 2021
How do people not steal motorcycles?
Avoid parking your bike in front of your house uncovered. If you don't have the luxury of parking in a private garage, then invest in a cover and park the bike behind another object, creating a physical barrier that makes the motorcycle harder to access.
How often do bicycles get stolen?
roughly one every 90 secondsI wouldn't consider myself especially lucky in that respect but according to crime data over 376,000 bicycles are stolen each year, which is roughly one every 90 seconds.
How often are bikes stolen?
Regularly, more than 2 million bikes are stolen each year in North America—meaning every 30 seconds, someone's ride was going missing. And the problem has only been growing during the coronavirus pandemic, when more people have turned to bicycles as their main mode of transportation.
Do people still steal bikes?
A bicycle is stolen every 30 seconds in the United States. That's roughly two million bikes a year, totaling about $350 million . To give you some perspective, less than one million motor vehicles are stolen each year in America. Bicycle thefts might be even higher than what's reported.
Do people steal bikes?
BikeIndex.org, a National registry of bicycles, reported over 96,000 bicycles marked on their site as stolen in 2020, a 24% increase from 2019.
How easy is it to steal a locked bike?
Most 10mm chains will go away in 15 seconds with medium sized bolt cutters which are easily stored in a backpack. If you are going to lock a bicycle for a long time two Kryptonite U locks or a U lock and 12mm+ chain would be enough to detter most bike thiefs.
How do thieves steal a motorcycle?
Most Common Motorcycle Theft Methods How do thieves steal motorcycles? Sometimes it's as easy as throwing a leg over and riding away. The thief walks up to your bike, disables anti-theft devices and locks, jump starts the engine and hits the road with your bike.
How often do stolen motorcycles get recovered?
What Are the Chances of Recovering a Stolen Motorcycle? Approximately 46% of stolen motorcycles are eventually recovered. The first few days after the theft are the most important in mounting a successful recovery effort.
How likely is it that my bike will be stolen? What lock should I get?
D had a kryptonite cable lock. Didn’t stop her bike from getting stolen from her campus. We had bought her a good but not terribly expensive commuter bike knowing that it was likely it could be stolen.
London is UK's bike theft 'hotspot' as number of crimes soar
Analysis found that pedal bikes made up nearly a third (32%) of all theft claims since the pandemic started, compared with 14% the previous year. | ITV News London
When do bikes go to Gumtree?
A lot of bikes go on to Gumtree particularly in the summer, that’s when most are shifted. You know the police are looking at these sites but there’s so much stuff on there they can’t keep up with it.
Do thieves steal bikes?
The force point out that there's a lot of variation in the way thieves operate. Some target sheds, others communal hallways and some bikes which are locked in the street. Some are more ‘professional’ and cautious than others, but what is clear is the lengths some offenders will go to, to steal a bike.
Who is the founder of stolen ride?
Bike stealing might be a controversial topic, but to understand how thieves think and how they actually do their “jobs” might just be the thing that saves you a lot of grief. Richard Cantle, founder of Stolen Ride – London ( stolenride.co.uk ), went the extra mile and interviewed a former bike thief who revealed to him his own tips on how to prevent your bike from getting stolen.
How long did it take for a bike to be sold?
A bike could be sold in a matter of minutes at the peak of it, to one of many known regular contacts. Longest was around a day. Bikes were never kept at home, they were always locked back up on the street. Somewhere, even outside police stations locked up. If the police ever raided your house then no goods would ever be found.
What were the most popular quick sale bikes called?
These were the popular quick sale bikes that were called golds (because of the payback to time value of them).
What is a WeLoveCycling magazine?
WeLoveCycling.com is an online magazine that brings you original stories, fresh videos and special reports from the wide world of cycling.
Is London a hotspot for bike security?
Bike locations, there is a thing what we would call London rings or hotspots, where bike security seemed to be less of a problem. The more central you got the worse the locks, where people let their guard down more. Going out of London, locks would get better and locations fewer, so the time and effort put in would not be worth it. Borough of Islington, Hackney, West End, and the central mile were our hunting grounds. The more CCTV and people the better. People are like sheep, they feel safe and pay less attention when they’re together.
Can you see a bike serial number under UV lights?
Only way I see is to get your bike sprayed with a special smart water device which is invisible and is basically like a DNA code on your bike and can only be seen under UV lights.
Was CCTV put off?
CCTV was not a put off. We had helmets on so we couldn’t be identified (well, we thought so at least). Location didn’t matter, we were young and reckless, and we didn’t care about security or people. If it went wrong, just get back on bike and go.
What are bike thieves looking for?
Bike thieves are looking for a quick getaway. So will target bikes that are secured with combination locks or other cheap flimsy-looking bike locks. They will settle for any bike, it doesn’t even have to be expensive-looking.
How to prevent a bike from being stolen?
Avoiding cheap, low quality bike locks is one of the best ways to prevent your bike from being stolen. The second type of bike thief is a professional. Professional thieves steal for a living and normally carry tools with them that they use to steal bikes.
What is the best weapon to use to break a bike lock?
Hammers. Hammers are the weapon of choice for unskilled thieves. They will use the hammer to repeatedly strike your bike lock until it breaks open. Low-end cable locks and cheap d locks can be defeated this way and will be the target for thieves using a hammer.
Why is it important to keep your bike lock off the ground?
By keeping your bike lock off the ground, it will be significantly harder for thieves to do any damage with a hammer. This is because as shown in the video above, the lock will spin freely.
How to make sure bike lock is not vulnerable to bolt cutter attacks?
To make sure that your bike lock is not vulnerable to bolt cutter attacks, you should get yourself a thick, strong lock. The thicker better.
What tools do professional thieves carry?
Normally, professional thieves will carry power tools, hydraulic jacks and large bolt croppers. Professional thieves target any bikes, but of course, they prefer ones that aren’t secured properly. If a professional thief has enough time, they will be able to remove almost any bike lock out there.
What is the most common type of bike thief?
Broadly speaking, bike thieves fall into two categories. First of all, we have the opportunist. The opportunist is the most common type of bike thief and can be found almost everywhere. An opportunist bike thief doesn’t necessarily carry any tools, or have any knowledge of how to steal a bike.
What did a former bicycle thief reveal?
A former bicycle thief has revealed the tricks of the trade in an interview, which clearly and shockingly shows the extent that thieves will go to in order to steal a bike. He talks about the motivations behind the theft, the tools used to crack locks and how the bikes were moved around and sold for a significant sum.
What does the guy who stole my bike talk about?
He talks about the motivations behind the theft, the tools used to crack locks and how the bikes were moved around and sold for a significant sum. He also gives tips on how to prevent your bike from being stolen.
What were the most popular quick sale bikes called?
These were the popular quick sale bikes that were called golds (because of the payback to time value of them).
How long did it take for a bike to be sold?
A bike could be sold in a matter of minutes at the peak of it, to one of many known regular contacts. Longest was around a day. Bikes were never kept at home, they were always locked back up on the street. Somewhere, even outside police stations locked up. If the police ever raided your house then no goods would ever be found.
Can bike serial numbers be shaved off?
Bike serial numbers can be so easily shaved off, filed and painted over. Serial numbers need to somehow be made more tamper proof and a bike register needs to be put in place, a bit like cars I think. Only way I see is to get your bike sprayed with a special smart water device which is invisible and is basically like a DNA code on your bike and can only be seen under UV lights.
Was CCTV put off?
CCTV was not a put off. We had helmets on so we couldn’t be identified (well, we thought so at least). Location didn’t matter, we were young and reckless, and we didn’t care about security or people. If it went wrong, just get back on bike and go.
Is London a hotspot for bike security?
Bike locations, there is a thing what we would call London rings or hotspots, where bike security seemed to be less of a problem. The more central you got the worse the locks, where people let their guard down more. Going out of London, locks would get better and locations fewer, so the time and effort put in would not be worth it. Borough of Islington, Hackney, West End and the central mile were our hunting grounds. The more CCTV and people the better. People are like sheep, they feel safe and pay less attention when they’re together.
How long did it take Aziz to find his stolen bike?
It took Aziz just days to find his stolen bike. "For me its been stressful. Honestly. He was on crack. I could see it in his face that he was in a bad way and I felt sorry. I thought what am I going to do to him. But people can't help it. They see your bike and ... you give them any chance and they will take it. It's not safe, it's not safe at all. Everywhere you go lock your bike."
How old was Omar Aziz when he started stealing bikes?
Omar Aziz started stealing bikes when he was 17 and carried on until he finally weaned himself off crack cocaine at the age of 29. Now he wants to make amends. He is volunteering in his local area and he agreed to advise Guardian readers how not to get their bikes stolen. Aziz stole a lot of bikes to feed his habit: "When I sell one thing I go ...
What is the easiest picking for a bike?
The easiest pickings were bikes secured with cheap locks. "Some people think they don't have enough money and they buy thin locks, and I used to go and just push the bike and pull it and the lock will break."
Why do you need two different locks on your bike?
Use two different locks on the front and back wheels of your bike, so that thieves have to carry more than one tool to break them. Photograph: Alex Segre/Rex Features
Can thieves get through thick chains?
Thieves can get through thick chains with the right equipment but it takes a lot of time and heavy cutting equipment. But even that didn't always deter him. On at least one occasion, having eyed-up a bike, Aziz first stole tools before going back for the bike. CCTV it seems, is also no deterrent.
Is CCTV a deterrent?
CCTV it seems, is also no deterrent. "Even if there is cameras they don't care. For me the best place is to leave your bike is a place where there are people around."
Does Aziz steal bikes?
For anyone with outdoor parking, he recommends riding a cheaper bike. Aziz himself also chose to steal the more expensive bikes just to ride them as far as the sale point, regardless of the fact that he was rarely paid more than £20-30 for any bike he stole – the price of a few rocks of crack cocaine.
What is the most stolen item in the UK?
Reports have revealed that bicycles are the UK’s most stolen item. When your bike is your hobby, your meditation, or even your transport around town, there’s nothing worse than having it taken away from you.
Can you leave a bike in the open?
Don’t leave your bike in the open, even if it is on private property. If you’re cramped for space in the home, consider getting yourself a secure bike lock up for the garden.
Is it safe to give a bike a tug?
This may sound silly, but it’s always a good idea to give your locked bike a little tug and wiggle to ensure the bike lock is well and truly secure. Also ensure you’ve made a secure loop through the frame and/or wheel, rather than the seat post!
Can cyclists be victims of bike theft?
City cyclists and commuters aren’t the only targets either, pro athletes have been victims of bike theft too, and no matter how novice or professional you are, it hurts just the same. After all, your bicycle becomes an extension of who you are.
Can you leave your bike outside overnight?
Leaving your bike outside overnight. That pretty little street where you tucked your bike up overnight isn’t such a safe haven in the dark. Thieves have the whole night to tamper with your bike knowing there’s a pretty good chance they won’t get caught.
