Cycle Theft

Tips for Preventing Theft

Despite the statistics 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 or Gum Tree - buying stolen bikes only encourages theft.
• Remember that many bikes are stolen from in and around the home.

Watch two LCC videos on preventing bike theft:

• Beat The Thief: How not to lock your bike
• How to lock your bike: the definitive guide

What the Police recommend

Record

Take down all your bike details, including the frame number, along with other details about your bike.

Register

Register your bike details onto online property databases. This will help the police return any recovered bikes to the rightful owners.

Report

If your bike is stolen in London, please report this to the Metropolitan Police Service by calling 0300 123 1212 or online at https://online.met.police.uk In an emergency dial 999.

If you are a victim of bike theft and you suspect your bike is being sold, do not arrange to meet the seller, contact the police, quoting your crime reference number.

Further advice from the police

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.