Did you know that almost 300,000 bikes are stolen each year in England alone? It is so important that you know how to protect it. Here are some of our top tips on how to keep your bicycle safe.
If you have to park your bike outside, for example when you are shopping, you should always lock it up. Even though they do not give the bicycle a 100% chance of protection it is still better than no lock. And if you must leave it outside overnight hide if possible, such as behind a bush and use two locks to double the protection. We sell a range of very secure Oxford locks.
Most household insurance policies include bike insurance, check your documents and small print. If you do own a pricy bike, it is worth getting bike insurance, because it can really help if it is stolen. Once you have insurance, make sure you write down lots of details about your bike and record the frame number. Take a photo of how it is normally locked up in your shed or garage. If you have it, keep the receipt for the purchase of your bike or new parts safe.
The National Cycle Database offers bike security marking to help deter thieves and we a proud recognised partner of the Bike Register. It means we can mark your bike frame with an etching of your unique code, and add your bike to the register. It makes your bike less desirable for thieves, harder to sell, and less likely to be stolen. It also means if your bike is stolen, it's much more likely to make its way back to you, as every police force in the UK checks the register to get stolen bikes back to owners.
It is very rare that thieves steal with an audience, but it doesn’t matter if it is during the day or at night. The best advice is to lock your bike in a public place and not down an alleyway, well-lit and somewhere that has CCTV. Did you know that more than half of all bike thefts are from the owners' property? Try to keep your bike locked inside, if it is a shed or garage you could consider using a floor or wall-mounted anchor lock for extra security.
If your bike does unfortunately get stolen report the theft to the police, by calling 101 the police non-emergency number, if the theft is in progress, then call 999. It’s unlikely the police will catch the thief red-handed, but it’s a requirement of insurance policies. Don't forget to ask for a crime reference number. This will help you trace the progress of your case. If it is stolen from a train or tube station, you can call the British Transport Police. You should also check sites, such as Gumtree, eBay and Facebook Marketplace to see if it is being sold and share on your own social media that your bike has been stolen. You can also let your local bike shop know, like us and we can keep an eye out to see if anyone brings the bike in for repair.
