Cycle Theft

As more and more people take to cycling in the city, there are more cycles about with the potential to be stolen. We know that when people have their cycles stolen, about two thirds cycle less frequently and a quarter of them stop cycling altogether. So from the crime reduction, health and sustainable transport points of view, reducing cycle theft is important.

The local picture

Information on cycle theft in the city is available here.

What we’re doing

Cycle theft statistics rose sharply in 2006 and this lead to a multi-agency group being set up and an action plan devised to tackle the problem. National specialists, Bikeoff, were consulted about the best way of taking action.

A survey found that many of the cycles parked in the city were poorly secured, making life easy for those intent on theft. Locking equipment and locking technique were often inadequate. So we’re carrying out work to let cyclists know about the best way of parking their bikes safely.

Reporting and getting assistance

If you’ve had your cycle stolen you should report it to the police. Without this information, those whose job it is to respond to and prevent further crime will not be able to carry out their job effectively. 'Cycle passports' are available to help you record those details about your bike which the police will need to identify you as the owner if your bike is recovered.

You are encouraged to register your pedal cycle with the national property and recovery scheme found at http://www.immobilise.com/. This stores details of your cycle (and certain other types of lost or stolen property) and is used to reunite recovered property with its owners.

Cycle theft prevention

To properly protect a bicycle against theft, good quality locking devices should be used and all removable parts of the cycle be secured or removed. We have produced a leaflet (see link below) which shows the best way of locking up your bike. Did you know there are 180 possible ways of locking a bike to a stand? Choose one which is likely to work!

There is an ongoing programme of cycle stand installation to make sure they are available where needed. You can find the location of some of the main cycle stands on the Journey On website. Don’t be tempted to leave a bike unlocked – even for a minute.

Further information

‘On Street Bicycle Parking: a short guide to protecting your bicycle’ available here: Leaflet front, Leaflet back.

A summary of our action plan to tackle cycle theft is available here.