Locks left on Bike Lockers

[mjr]

If a bike thief is going to 'practice' opening locks in a public place then that practice will take the form of grinders, bolt croppers, bottle jacks or sledgehammers. I have heard little evidence that many bikes are stolen by thieves that pick the locks. It is nearly always as a result of physically disabling the lock, your paranoia is perhaps getting the better of you?

Possibly because advocating cycling probably means I get to hear more about more bike thefts than most people - but I didn't mean pick the locks necessarily. Just figure out how to open them without it being obvious. Stuff like power tools and heavy/long tools are pretty obvious and crude and the risk from them is pretty uniform. I have watched someone sitting on the bike racks fiddling with a lock for long enough that I called the police (they were subtle, leaning on the rack and fiddling with the lock behind them - it's one reason that police don't like people hanging around in cycle parks) and I know from bitter experience that some locks are vulnerable and can be forced open without big tools. One lock we had (no longer sold) was forced with careful application of something like a screwdriver, based on the tool marks. Two famous examples of weaknesses in good-seeming locks are the old kryptonite pen trick and the old Axa blade-or-key-blank trick, but I expect there have been more, possibly not all as well-documented or quite that easy.

If you don't want your lock messed with at leisure, don't leave it lying around more than you must.

 

[jonny jeez]

This thread has just reminded me that i have left a lock , locked to a rail in the fire escape at work...hope its still there.

My answer, too heavy to carry

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I always leave my lock on the rack at work, it's a right beast of a chain that I don't want to be carrying on my back everyday. Never leave my bike if I go out on it so never take a lock with me.

 

[PhilDawson8270]

A lot of the time they don't even need to be subtle! Our cleaner at work cycled across to the shops after finishing one winter, a while later she popped in work and asked if I could get the bike off as he lock had seized up.

I spent about 15 minutes hacksawing through the lock (alone, she had gone inside where it was warm), and not one person questioned me, police didn't show. It was outside a stores main entrance. Security said nothing either.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Anyone do this and if so why? To reduce weight? Do they just leave them at their regular destination (e.g. work) and have a spare one for any other trips but by not carrying it on their regular journey they lose a bit of weight? There are quite a few at my work place and in my town centre but couldn't really work out why people do this.....all i can assume is weight.

Used to for the the lockers at work as they were issued on a named person basis.

 

[Arjimlad]

I keep a U-lock at work on the railings where my bike is locked. Saves carting it about & means I can commute pretty lightweight, as I drive probably once a week on average & swap suits/shirts etc around using the car.