Two Weeks Since Work Bike Theft

[BSRU]

Two weeks after someone's £1000+ was stolen from the works bicycle shed, which was "secured" with a £5 cable combination lock, I was stunned to see this morning such a total lack of bike security.

Only one bike was double D locked, securing the frame to the bike shed and both wheels. Next "best" was a D lock on the rear Q/R wheel with a cable lock for the front and frame. The rest were all "secured" with cheap cable locks.

It concerns me as it invites the criminals to loiter near the works bike shed, as they know they can simply cut a cable in less than a second and ride off on their new shiny bicycle.

 

[Davidc]

Not just at your work - Same everywhere.

It has an advantage for the security conscious. Any normal opportunist thief will go for the easy pickings, leaving the bike (e.g. mine) that has a good quality D lock through the back wheel, chain stays, and solid piece of stand, and a cable with a 110dBA alarm padlock* through the front wheel, main frame triangle and the D lock, alone.

A determined thief with an order for your bike will get it no matter what you do to secure it.

* or other loud and sensitive bike alarm.

 

[BSRU]

You have taken the same option as me, make my bike more difficult to steal and the criminals will take the easy option, lots of them in our bike shed. Both my wheels are D locked to the frame, the frame is secured with a monstrous Almax chain and Squires best padlock, plus a couple motion sensitive alarms for added comfort.

 

[hackbike 666]

My bike isn't shiny.

 

[BSRU]

My bike isn't shiny.

Maybe they only nick shiny bikes because they cannot be arsed to wash them before the sell them, the less time they have it the better.

 

[cyberknight]

After 5 got stolen from our covered but open bike shed they made some cages that prevent access to the bikes in works time, security open and lock them before and at the end of shift.

I still use a d-lock and a reasonable cable lock to secure it to the racks though

 

[3tyretrackterry]

our shed is quite good in that it has a lock that needs you to lock it with key ie not a snap shut padlock. it is also a high quality padlock the entrance is covered by a fixed position cctv camera. it is a perspex nissan hut with individual sheffield stands in it is also in a good visible location. with all that i also lock my rear wheel and frame to stand with an abus granit d lock and loop a cable thru front wheel as it has a qr on. lucky for me some of the other staff dont think they need to go to such lengths. i also commute to work on a non suspension mtb circa 1995 which doesnt look anywhere near as good as some of the other bikes

 

[nasserblue]

My current employer provides an underground locked garage, with 24hr security CCTV, security card access, and I like my bike with a big thick chain through front and back wheels. However, loads of other people leave helmets, cleets, jackets lying loosely over the bikes to "air" during the day...

 

[Eddie]

You could make a point by taking some bolt cutters into work and cutting all the cable locks off. I don't understand why they even sell cable locks to be honest, they're not fit for purpose.

 

[Eddie]

our shed is quite good in that it has a lock that needs you to lock it with key ie not a snap shut padlock. it is also a high quality padlock the entrance is covered by a fixed position cctv camera. it is a perspex nissan hut with individual sheffield stands in it is also in a good visible location. with all that i also lock my rear wheel and frame to stand with an abus granit d lock and loop a cable thru front wheel as it has a qr on. lucky for me some of the other staff dont think they need to go to such lengths. i also commute to work on a non suspension mtb circa 1995 which doesnt look anywhere near as good as some of the other bikes

So you're using a lock that is worth more than the bike?

 

[3tyretrackterry]

yes i sure am for two reasons 1 the lock was provided through my work so cost me the grand total of zero pounds and 2 i look at what the bike is worth to me not what it is worth. therefore the bike is worth to me the money saved by not owning a car plus my total yearly salary.

i know the post was tongue in cheek just trying to say that my bike is valuable to me

 

[Cheule]

My works decided in their wisdom to move the secure bike shed which was behind a 20-foot metal-pronged fence surrounding the entire building, to the outside car park.

Now most nights you hear some poor sod wailing their bikes been nicked. Even mopeds and now cars have gone. CCTV can't see anything at night and all the security guards have been sacked and the CCTV is manned from a central location 100 miles away.

Needless to say, thefts have increased somewhat.

Despite this, there's always one bike that's not even padlocked in any way, just resting on the bike shed when I arrive for my shift. And it's not been nicked yet, amazingly.

 

[BSRU]

After 5 got stolen from our covered but open bike shed they made some cages that prevent access to the bikes in works time, security open and lock them before and at the end of shift.

I still use a d-lock and a reasonable cable lock to secure it to the racks though

That would be nice and secure, unfortunately we have flexi-time so locking it would be a pain.

I do not think there is such a thing as a reasonable cable lock, they can all be cut very quickly with bolt croppers, the cycle thief's favoured weapon.

 

[BSRU]

My current employer provides an underground locked garage, with 24hr security CCTV, security card access, and I like my bike with a big thick chain through front and back wheels. However, loads of other people leave helmets, cleets, jackets lying loosely over the bikes to "air" during the day...

Sounds like the perfect setup.

 

[Sailorchick]

I work for a Uni so lots of bikes left badly secured all over campus. Thankfully there are also secure bike sheds (security card access for £10 a year) that are available to both staff and students. I leave my bike in one of the sheds, secured with a D lock and I'm confident it will still be there when I go back for it.

I actually left it in the shed completely unlocked a fair few months back (i'd been knocked off on the way to work and brain wasn't functioning properly when I got to work) and it was untouched in the shed.