Cycle Theft

Don't let this happen to you!

• The Problem
• Tips for Preventing Theft
• Cycle Marking / Registration
• Further Information on Preventing Theft
• Reporting Theft
• Two happy endings

The Problem

Keiran Proffer, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, writes:

Cycling in Westminster is increasing each year. Unfortunately, so are bike thefts. Thefts so far this year (2005) show a 27% increase since 2004.

Here is a summary of a police report on cycle thefts between 1 April 2004 and 22 March 2005:

• 1265 cycles were reported stolen.
• Half of these were in Paddington and Belgravia divisions.
• The vast majority were taken from the street; the next highest number from flats or maisonettes.
• Most of the victims were male.
• Most of the suspects were male.
• A cycle worth less than £100 is far more likely to be stolen than any other. As a general rule, the cheaper the cycle, the more likely it is to be stolen. It is not yet clear whether this is simply because there are more of them, or because the owners take less care of them, or both.

Each of the five police divisions has danger zones, or "hot spots":

• Imperial College and the Royal College of Music in Belgravia;
• Queensway and Praed St (St Mary's hospital) in Paddington;
• Soho Square in the West End;
• Covent Garden and London School of Economics in Charing Cross
• Cavendish Square in Marylebone.

Moral: Avoid leaving your bike on the street if possible. If you must, make sure it is secured. 

Finally, if you see someone stealing a cycle, then call the police. A resident in Kildare Gardens had a bike stolen by three teenagers, who had to scale a 7 ft gate, smash the lock from the bike, and make off by lifting the bike over the gate. Some neighbours saw it happen, and none of them thought to phone 999. That quick 999 call would have raised the local police in the area and the three culprits could have been caught.

Tips for Preventing Theft

Despite this gloomy information on cycle theft, many members of Westminster Cycling Campaign have managed to keep their bikes for many years.  Here are some of their tips:

• Never leave your bike out of your sight without locking it.
• Ideally use two different types of lock to secure your front and back wheels and frame to a cycle parking stand.
• If you have only one lock, make sure it goes around the front wheel, the frame and a cycle parking stand or railing: the back wheel is more difficult to steal.  If you have a  quick-release front wheel, you may wish to take it off and lock it to the back wheel, the frame and a post.
• Do not use thin chains or cables, which can easily be cut with bolt-cutters.
• When you leave your bike, take off anything that can easily be removed - or someone else will.
• If you have a quick-release saddle, replace the quick-release skewer with a conventional bolt.
• If you have an expensive bike, consider buying a second cheap one for leaving on the street - if you have room to store it!
• Be wary of leaving your bike near where kids are hanging about.
• Be wary of buying a bike in Brick Lane or through eBay - buying stolen bikes only encourages theft.

Finding the frame number for the Immobilise system

Cycle Marking / Registration

The police recover many bikes for which they cannot trace the owner.  Marking and registering your bike will help them to trace you if your bike is stolen and they manage to recover it.  The sticker saying that your bike is marked and registered may also persuade a thief to go for another bike.

Cycle Marking

The police can mark your bike with a coded number which will also be entered on a database. The number is written in a special paint which can only be removed by sanding it off. (They also mark the bike with your postcode and house number in invisible UV ink.)

To find out how to get your bike marked, call your local Crime Prevention Officer on 0300 123 1212.

Further Information on Preventing Theft

The LCC web site, www.lcc.org.uk , has much more information on cycle security.  Click on 'Guidance' and 'Cycle Security'.

Information on the effectiveness of anti-theft products is available on www.soldsecure.com .

Reporting Theft

If the worst happens, you can report the theft of your bike on line at www.met.police.uk.

Two Happy Endings

David Cameron is not the only cyclist to get his bike back after it was stolen.

When Little Venice cyclist Joanna Percy had her bike stolen, she was able to give the frame number to the police. Not long after, local police became suspicious when they saw a yob riding around on a ladies' bike. They checked the frame number and found it was Joanna's.

"There is a God and a good Safer Neighbourhoods Police Team around here" said a happy Joanna. "The police have good pointers that a bike may be stolen if they see kids who don't have a good lock for a bike - they then don't know the real value of the bike."

The incident shows the importance of noting your frame number. You can use www.immobilise.com to create a free private and secure portfolio of all your personal property. If it is then lost or stolen, you can use immobilise to tell law enforcement, your insurer and the second-hand trade to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief.