How Many Bikes Are Stolen Each Year

On average, over 188,500 bicycle thefts are reported stolen each year in the United States, a statistic that in itself is staggering when one also considers the number of bicycle thefts that go unreported.

How many bikes are stolen in the UK each year?

The number of bicycle thefts in England and Wales fell to 77.3 thousand in 2020/21, compared with 88.30 thousand in the previous reporting year, and over 100 thousand in 2017/18.

How often do bikes get stolen?

Regularly, more than 2 million bikes are stolen each year in North America—meaning every 30 seconds, someone’s ride was going missing.

Why are bikes stolen so often?

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.

How often are bikes stolen UK?

How Often Do Bicycles Get Stolen? In Britain, it’s an average of one every six minutes. That’s ten an hour, or two hundred and forty a day. However, recent statistics show that the number of bicycle thefts in England and Wales actually fell to 77.3 thousand in 2020/2021, down from over 100,000 in 2017/2018.

Is it worth reporting stolen bike?

Report the theft to the police File a police report as soon as possible. This is really important. You might not have insurance. But if they recover a stolen bike and you’ve filed a report with a serial number, they’ll link it to you and you’ll get your bike back!.

What bike is stolen the most?

As far as brands taken, there’s little surprise to see two of the so-called ‘big three’ in Bikmo’s most stolen – Giant and Specialized. A second bicycle insurer corroborates the finding; PedalSure also name the two brands as their most wanted by thieves.

Are bike thieves common?

On average, over 188,500 bicycle thefts are reported stolen each year in the United States, a statistic that in itself is staggering when one also considers the number of bicycle thefts that go unreported. Some US cities are starting to fight back against bicycle theft.

Why do thieves steal bikes?

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.

Do cheap bikes get stolen?

Less desirable bikes are less quick to be bought and therefore less likely to be stolen. How you tie up your bike is important. Thieves carry bolt cutters and a good quality set will get through most D-locks but only if there is the space to get the tool in and they have the leverage.

Have bikes thefts increased?

An insurer has issued a warning to cyclists as bike thefts have continue to rise since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Home and car insurer Admiral has revealed that bike thefts increased by 66 per cent from March 2020 to February 2021, compared to the same period in the previous year.

Is bike theft a problem?

So why is cycle theft so often seen as a minor crime? According to the police, 96,210 bikes were stolen in 2018, and about one in 50 bicycle-owning households are victims of cycle theft each year, but it’s a crime disproportionately visited on the young and the poor.

How do bike thieves break locks?

A pair of hand held cable cutters will snip through most cable locks in seconds. Cheap, inconspicuous and easy to carry around in a coat pocket, this is the tool that’s most commonly used by bike thieves. And it’s worth repeating again: they will cut through nearly all cable locks in seconds.

Do police still stamp bikes?

The police regularly set up marking events to provide cycle security advice and offer security marking and registration onto BikeRegister’s online database. Registering your bike helps police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold.

Why do people steal bikes UK?

Motivation was money, bikes are quick and easy money. There were two of us who stole pedal bikes and high-performance motorbikes. Did you target specific types of bicycles and locations in London? Going out of London, locks would get better and locations fewer, so the time and effort put in would not be worth it.

Does insurance cover bike theft?

Bike thefts are common. Your bike insurance company will reimburse you with the bike’s Insured Declared Value (IDV) in case of a bike theft. Note that bike theft is not covered under a basic Third-party Liability Insurance policy; it is covered under a Comprehensive plan.

How do I notify the police if my bike is stolen?

Whilst it’s possible to report your stolen bike by phone and in some cases online, it can be more beneficial to go into your local police station. Provide as much detail as possible, the more the better, including: Exact details about the theft (where/when/how) Frame number, bike make/type, parts and unique features.