Can bikes be stolen easily?
Any bike is easily stolen but not all bikes are worth stealing. Thieves most want bikes that will command a decent price and/or can be easily sold. Expensive-looking road bikes and mountain bikes top the list. Roadsters and hybrids with practical features such as mudguards are less likely to be pinched.
What are the chances of finding a stolen bike?
ONLY 2.4% of stolen bikes can be recovered. That’s why you need to learn some effective bike theft prevention tips to protect your bicycles from thieves.
How do you prove a bike is yours?
Even if you are buying a used bike, ask for a receipt. If you don’t have a receipt for a bike you already own, repair receipts may serve as evidence of ownership. Keep all receipts for the bike in the file. Take photographs of the bike, including any distinguishing characteristics, and store those in the file as well.
Why do thieves steal bikes?
Acquisitive: These thieves steal bicycles for financial gain and usually trade them for cash or goods. The bikes may also be sold in pieces for drugs or money. In Portland, Oregon bike thieves are often drug addicts who provide stolen bicycles to drug dealers in exchange for drugs.
Do bikes get stolen often?
Regularly, more than 2 million bikes are stolen each year in North America—meaning every 30 seconds, someone’s ride was going missing. And the problem has only been growing during the coronavirus pandemic, when more people have turned to bicycles as their main mode of transportation.
Which bikes get stolen the most?
As far as brands taken, there’s little surprise to see two of the so-called ‘big three’ in Bikmo’s most stolen – Giant and Specialized. A second bicycle insurer corroborates the finding; PedalSure also name the two brands as their most wanted by thieves.
Where are the most bikes stolen?
The top ten US cities for bike theft list comes from Kryptonites own research.
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- New York City, NY.
- Los Angeles, CA.
- Portland, OR.
- San Francisco, CA.
- Chicago, IL.
- Washington, DC.
- Philadelphia, PA.
- Seattle, WA.
Are bike thieves common?
On average, over 188,500 bicycle thefts are reported stolen each year in the United States, a statistic that in itself is staggering when one also considers the number of bicycle thefts that go unreported.
Do police still mark bikes?
Police occasionally host their own cycle marking events and will very often apply their own approved markings if requested, so it never hurts to pop into your local station to see if localised schemes are in operation.
How can I find my stolen bike?
Here are some quick and easy tips to track it down:
- Report your bike stolen to the police. …
- Call local bike shops. …
- Visit local markets and impound yards for stolen bikes. …
- Register your bike as stolen on bike recovery sites. …
- Search online marketplaces. …
- Inform your insurance company. …
- Spread the word. …
- Conclusion.
What happens if you get caught stealing a bike?
Penal Code 499b PC is the California statute that makes it a crime temporarily to take or borrow another person’s bicycle or vessel, without that person’s permission or consent. Commonly referred to as joyriding, a conviction can lead to probation, fines and jail time.