Thefts by people on cycles triples in two years

[Mr Haematocrit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22013460

The number of thefts carried out on bicycles has tripled in the past two years, BBC London has learned.
Metropolitan Police figures show there were 3,754 reported snatchings in the capital last year, up from 1,214 thefts in 2010.


Strange statistic and I wonder if the increasing popularity of cycling is helping drive this increase. I would equally believe that people undertaking crimes such as this would have no issue using stolen bikes, so I hope the police start actively taking more interest in this.

 

[Dave 123]

I have to get the money for new kit somehow......

 

[Banjo]

Not just triples.Ive seen thieves on compact doubles as well.

People with racing doubles dont tend to be thieves, thugs maybe but not thieves...

 

[Cyclopathic]

Recently round our way some git was assaulting women from his bike. There were several reports of what appeared to be the same guy in the same area using his bike as a platform from which to grab at and touch women in an aggressively sexual manner and then speed off on his BSO. This guy would be the ideal candidate to check the stopping power of a stick through the spokes tecnique imho

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Its all that new infrastructure, makes it easier to get away

 

[Matthew_T]

I think the main reason that bikes are getting nicked is that the people who have now started to ride them are inexperienced or dont have much of a knowledge of cycling. This causes them to buy naff bike locks which can be cut in a matter of minutes. I also see bikes all the time which have been locked by just their front wheel or not locked at all.
The cycling culture might be growing but it is obvious that the crime rate will grow too just like when the automobile went through its boom period.

 

[e-rider]

I quite like the way loads of expensive bikes are locked with wire thin enough to chew through - it means that my bike is unlikely to get stolen

 

[MisterStan]

I think the main reason that bikes are getting nicked is that the people who have now started to ride them are inexperienced or dont have much of a knowledge of cycling. This causes them to buy naff bike locks which can be cut in a matter of minutes. I also see bikes all the time which have been locked by just their front wheel or not locked at all.
The cycling culture might be growing but it is obvious that the crime rate will grow too just like when the automobile went through its boom period.

I quite like the way loads of expensive bikes are locked with wire thin enough to chew through - it means that my bike is unlikely to get stolen

People can only buy better locks then!

 

[400bhp]

I think the main reason that bikes are getting nicked is that the people who have now started to ride them are inexperienced or dont have much of a knowledge of cycling. This causes them to buy naff bike locks which can be cut in a matter of minutes. I also see bikes all the time which have been locked by just their front wheel or not locked at all.
The cycling culture might be growing but it is obvious that the crime rate will grow too just like when the automobile went through its boom period.

The proportion of people who are inexperienced and don't have much knowledge of cycling is unlikely to have increased recently.

More the increased thefts are likely to be because of a large upsurge in the popularity of cycling which i) increased the number of bikes and ii)increases the demand for (2nd hand) bikes.

 

[snailracer]

I think the main reason that bikes are getting nicked ...

I quite like the way loads of expensive bikes are locked with wire thin enough to chew through - it means that my bike is unlikely to get stolen

People can only buy better locks then!

The proportion of people who are inexperienced and don't have much knowledge of cycling is unlikely to have increased recently...

Jeez, people. This thread is about bag-snatching and mobile-snatching carried out by robbers on bikes, it's got nothing to do with bikes being stolen.

 

[400bhp]

sorry, i didn't even read the link



I am a t1t

 

[MisterStan]

Jeez, people. This thread is about bag-snatching and mobile-snatching carried out by robbers on bikes, it's got nothing to do with bikes being stolen.

A fact of which I am well aware. Thanks.

 

[snailracer]

[QUOTE 2394848, member: 45"]Just shows how wonderfully versatile bikes are.

Also popular amongst drug dealers. And postmen.[/quote]
Are bikes now "gangsta"?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I almost grabbed a woman's hand bag but more out of self-preservation than theftitude - she'd stuck it in my face as she flagged down the bus behind me. Since then I've often thought that, if I had the inclination, it would be so easy.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

I used to work in Surrey Quays and you used to see groups of 50 + no exaggeration just riding along at a snails pace stopping traffic, with little groups breaking off and snatching stuff off people and outta shops.
Police would come and they would starburst they might catch a couple but they wear two or three hoodies, tops and coats and swap them. Never ever saw any getting carted off.
They used to rush the cinema that I worked at, we had 5 doorman on the weekends and two during the week.
They got rid of the secrity firm that had the contract as the staff refused to work unless some thing was done and they brought doormen in instead.