Why is bike theft so common?
3 min read
Asked by: Jarkeise Rose
Bike theft is so common (and so hard to stop) for three main reasons: there’s minimal risk, few defences, and lucrative rewards. We already know that just 5% of stolen bikes are returned to their owners.
How common is it to get your bike stolen?
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.
Why is bicycle theft a problem?
Another reason theft is so prevalent is that locks haven’t kept pace with the times. The ones that do work can be so expensive or so heavy that they actually deter people from riding in the first place. GPS trackers can locate a stolen bike, but do nothing to stop thieves who only want to strip its parts.
Where do bikes get stolen the most?
They’ve realised that they need to spend a bit of money on a decent lock, learn how to secure their bike properly and lock it every time they leave it. It’s as simple as that.
- New York City, NY.
- Los Angeles, CA.
- Portland, OR.
- San Francisco, CA.
- Chicago, IL.
- Washington, DC.
- Philadelphia, PA.
- Seattle, WA.
What are the most stolen bikes?
Most stolen motorcycle makes in the United States in 2019
| Characteristic | Number of thefts |
|---|---|
| American Honda Motor Co., Inc. | 8,122 |
| Yamaha Motor Corporation | 6,495 |
| Harley Davidson, Inc. | 4,737 |
| American Suzuki Motor Corporation | 4,686 |
How do I make sure my bike doesn’t get stolen?
More videos on YouTube
- Get a suitable lock. …
- Lock your bike securely. …
- Pick your spot. …
- Mix up where you leave your bike. …
- Take accessories with you. …
- Don’t stand out. …
- Or… do stand out and make your bike unique. …
- Lock your bike securely even at home.
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.
How do you catch bike thieves?
As this one a bait bike all of our bikes have GPS trackers in them and if one of those bikes gets clipped we're gonna know about it.
What are the chances of getting a stolen bike back?
You might think it’s a waste of time. But the fact is that almost half of stolen bikes are eventually recovered by the police. And the only reason that just 5% of stolen bikes are returned to their owners is that the police can’t link the bikes to the owners.
Will police help find a stolen bike?
Police forces also have access to the data, which will greatly help if they recover your bike. They can quickly match you as the owner.
Can you track a stolen bike?
Use Cycling GPS to Track down Your Stolen Bike. When your bike is stolen, you can trace it down with the GPS devices. A lot of bike aficionado would install GPS tracking devices to their motorcycles, mountain bikes or motocross bikes in case of bike theft.
