One bike stolen every six minutes in UK
Posted on in Cycles News
Almost 100,000 bikes were reported stolen last year, which equates to one every six minutes.
The figures come from research by Direct Line insurance and show thefts have risen by 17% over the past 12 months, amounting to a quarter of a million since 2015.
Experts say the jump in bike crime is partly down to the growing popularity of cycling to work but organised gangs appear to be a factor.
The most common types of bikes targeted by thieves are mountain bikes, making up nearly half of all thefts over the last year.
Hybrid bicycles are the next most popular for criminals, accounting for just under a third of thefts, followed by road bikes.
Halfords say that sales of higher quality locks are soaring. Paul Derbyshire from the company, said: "Bike locks are one of our fastest growing categories and this reflects the trend of more bikes being stolen. D-locks are a very effective and visible deterrent to would-be thieves.
"Customers are choosing to spend a little bit extra to make sure their bike is really secure."
Bike theft in London is increasing faster than anywhere else in the UK, growing 21% in the past three years, with over 58,000 bikes stolen.
London postcodes also account for four of the top ten bike theft hotspots, with East London nabbing the top spot with over 9,000 cycles stolen in the last three years.
Darran Hull, at Direct Line, said: "Given London and the surrounding area account for 44% of all cycling miles across Britain, it is no surprise opportunistic thieves target these areas.
As the popularity of cycling continues to increase, bike theft is also on the up, which is why it's more important than ever to ensure your bike is covered on your home insurance policy. This is often an optional added extra, so make sure you double check it is included so that you can at least claim for a replacement in the unfortunate event your bike is stolen".