Article on bicycle theft

Itsfixed

HI

Article on bicycle theft in the Irish Times today, which i thought might be of interest here:

Any thoughts? Agree that prevention is probably best approach to the problem.

Bike thieves get easy ride despite the political spin

CRIME the small stuff: The Tánaiste's promised specialist Garda unit never materialised but bicycle theft is easier to prevent than to solve. Ronan McGreevy reports

Daniel Song takes no chances on his rounds visiting the elderly of Dublin. The Stealth mountain bike he rides was given to the charity he works for after an appeal. It's hardly worth stealing but, nevertheless, he takes every precaution. "If I can, I ask the people I visit can I take it in the hallway or around the back," he says.

"If not, I use two locks. One's a chain link with a padlock and other is one of those corded ones that looks thick and imposing."

Daniel has good reason to be cautious. The Dublin Friends of the Elderly once depended on the use of bicycles which are quick and, with a limited budget, much cheaper than using a car or taking public transport.

Despite having three full-time volunteers, they only have one bicycle. "We had so many bicycles robbed, it was mind-bending," says co-ordinator Niamh Macken, who estimates that they had seven bicycles stolen in the space of a couple of years.

"As the bicycles were stolen, we were replacing them. At one stage, it became absolutely insane."

Two volunteers who tethered their bicycles at Tara Street station to visit some people in Bray came back to find their bicycles stolen. A special lock imported from Paris proved useless when a volunteer emerged from a swim at the Seán McDermott Street pool to find the lock on the ground and the bicycle stolen.

After a radio appeal, they were donated two bicycles from a man in Co Meath. One was stolen within a few weeks; the other is now guarded with their lives.

"I don't think the last time that we went near the gardaí because there is nothing that can be done about it. It was very depressing for us because it curtails the visitation work here of the volunteers," she says.

Few cyclists do not have a tale of misery, of finding their locks cut and their bicycles gone.

Bicycle theft is the kind of low-grade crime that rarely makes the headlines, though two years ago Minister for Justice Michael McDowell ensured that it did just that. In response to figures which showed a rise of 80 per cent in bicycle thefts in the second quarter of 2005, Mr McDowell said he would set up a special Garda unit to deal with the crime.

Almost two years on, no such initiative has been forthcoming. Instead, the Garda initiated a leaflet campaign which it distributed through every Crime Prevention Unit in the country, and in turn to schools, campuses and community halls.

The leaflet recommended keeping a record of the serial number, registering it with the Garda, ensuring that it has a secure lock and keeping the bicycle in a well-lit place. Commonsense advice and an acknowledgment by gardaí that bicycle theft is much more preventable than solvable.

The initiative would appear to have worked. The number of bicycle thefts last year was down from 500 to 310, a drop of almost 40 per cent.

Nobody who cycles, however, believes that figure is anywhere near the reality of a crime that is chronically under-reported. Cycleways in Parnell Place get an average of 200 inquiries a year just from people wanting to print off receipts to claim insurance back for their bicycle being stolen.

Green Party frontbencher John Gormley, probably the best-known cycling politician in the country, believes in being a realist when it comes to bicycle theft. He suffered his most recent loss earlier this month while he was canvassing in Portobello.

"You don't bother reporting that you've had a bicycle stolen. I've had bicycles taken and I didn't bother reporting them. You feel that the guards are out there running after serious criminals and they won't give it that sort of priority. I can sort of agree with that. It is extremely difficult to ask the gardaí to go searching places for a bicycle.

"The emphasis has to be on prevention. Once the bicycle is stolen, it is probably too late. We wouldn't have to be reporting it to the gardaí if we had proper lock-up facilities. This is a new era where the bicycle, I'm quite sure, will be making a comeback because of traffic and climate change. It's a priority for the Green Party."

lady_marmalade

Good article, thanks for posting.

So what kind of locks does everyone use? I have a U-lock and a thick cable lock, plus a crappy thin-ish chain lock which I use to secure the basket and helmet; this also gets wrapped round the bike. So in effect I've 3 locks. So I'm safe, yeah?!

rubadub

Bicycle theft is not taken as seriously as say car theft. I think it is in peoples minds that bikes are for kids, so a stolen bike is like "my marbles/sweets were stolen".

I could imagine the gardai spending more time investigating the theft/carjacking of a €1000 car, or the holding up of a newsagent for €1000, rather than the theft/mugging/(bike jacking?) of a €2000 bike.

daymobrew

rubadub wrote:

Bicycle theft is not taken as seriously as say car theft. I think it is in peoples minds that bikes are for kids, so a stolen bike is like "my marbles/sweets were stolen".

This is probably the case, but it is not reassuring for those whose only form of transport is their bicycle. For those people it is worth many times its monetary value.
Also, I know I have a considerably stronger attachment to my bikes than my car.

I think that people should report all thefts, even though it is fruitless. The data can be used to direct the Government/Gardai to act on the problem.

Money Shot

daymobrew wrote:

This is probably the case, but it is not reassuring for those whose only form of transport is their bicycle. For those people it is worth many times its monetary value.
Also, I know I have a considerably stronger attachment to my bikes than my car.

I think that people should report all thefts, even though it is fruitless. The data can be used to direct the Government/Gardai to act on the problem.

Definitely, everyone should report their bike stolen, even a 100 euro hack. It's the only way to highlight a problem and possible get some sort of action.

No point having two locks, if they aren't both locked to something, as I found out to my peril. It's no always possible given the bike racks available, unless you hog two racks (which I do). They will just take your bike and leave the front wheel, and then just nick someone elses front wheel.

I use a new york lock and another decent shackle lock. There is no point having one of those cheap shackle locks or chains - it takes literally seconds to disable them. Prevention is the key - they are looking for an easy steal usually. So if yours looks like a challange - they won't have too far to go to find an easier option.

Ausdubliner

Mine was stolen from a supposedly secure, locked up region of my apartment complex. It's a disgrace that you can't leave your property unattended for fear of an inconsiderate, morally challenged pain in the ass who thinks it is ok to steal.

pan

I fortune enought to be able to lock my bike in a store room at work!!
If at all possible try to get it indoors way better than any lock

Foxhunt

Face it, we live in a fast buck, cute whore, nod and a wink country, where playing by the (many, many) rules just gets you screwed easier and easier.

Sorry for anyone who was unfortunate to have a bike nicked. Count me twice in the last 30 months. No amount of locks, indoor, all-day, spotlights etc. will guarntee your baby will be there when you get back.

As long as some short sighted id10T is prepared to splash out €100.00 for an obviously €500.00+ bike, cycle theft is gonna run and run.

cunnins4

daymobrew wrote:

This is probably the case, but it is not reassuring for those whose only form of transport is their bicycle. For those people it is worth many times its monetary value.

It's amazing how many people underestimate the value of my bike to me! I keep it locked up in a shed at the back of my garden. Myself and the brother each have hardrocks ~450-500 each to replace yeah? So we put a big sensor light out the back garden as a deterent. I come home from college/work every day to find it turned OFF! I complain to my mother about it and she says that it wastes electricity and costs money. I've two counter arguments to that - the cost of replacing the two bikes, and the fact that when i come home to find it switched off, the kitchen light where the switch to the sensor light is, is ALWAYS on and no one in the room. Mother dearest is the number one culprit usually. ffs.

My bike is my ONLY way of getting around. I hate busses, and think cars are a waste of time. The value of it to me is huge. Well beyond its 500quid pricetag.

I'm looking to get a road bike for triathlons this summer (prob around the 1.5k mark) but i'm terrified of it getting nicked. I've nowhere else but the wooden shed to put it, and the attitude from others at home is crazy. If only they knew.....

gzoladz

I own two bikes, one folding that I will take with me everywhere (restaurant, cinema, work, shops) and an old second hand bike that I bought for €50 in a shop on Dorset St.
The lock I use an Abus top of the line that it is worth twice as much what I have paid for the bike.

daymobrew

cunnins4 wrote:

I'm looking to get a road bike for triathlons this summer (prob around the 1.5k mark) but i'm terrified of it getting nicked. I've nowhere else but the wooden shed to put it, and the attitude from others at home is crazy. If only they knew.....

Get Home Insurance. I have a racing bike around that value. I had it for a year, sitting in the kitchen, before I gave in and moved it to the shed.
For a bike of that value your insurer options are very limited (we were with Royal Sun Alliance who transferred all their business to AA Home Insurance). Many insurers won't insure bikes over 700 euro or so, but it is changing.
Even the insurers look down on bikes :rolleyes:

rubadub

daymobrew wrote:

Even the insurers look down on bikes :rolleyes:

And so they should, if the gardai didnt give a damn about cars being stolen then it would be hard to insure them against theft too. The insurers are simply working off statistics, and the fact it is so hard to insure a bike speaks volumes about how theives see them as easy targets since they are extremely unlikely to be caught.

Ghost Rider

I have home insurance but it doesn't cover my two bikes at present. Roughly how much would it be to get them covered, assuming the total value of them doesn't exceed 1000?

daymobrew wrote:

Get Home Insurance. I have a racing bike around that value. I had it for a year, sitting in the kitchen, before I gave in and moved it to the shed.
For a bike of that value your insurer options are very limited (we were with Royal Sun Alliance who transferred all their business to AA Home Insurance). Many insurers won't insure bikes over 700 euro or so, but it is changing.
Even the insurers look down on bikes :rolleyes:

daymobrew

Ghost Rider wrote:

I have home insurance but it doesn't cover my two bikes at present. Roughly how much would it be to get them covered, assuming the total value of them doesn't exceed 1000?

You'd have to ask your insurer. But, because of the risk of theft (no allowances for always having it indoors or other such high security areas), it's not trivial. You could be looking at 80-100 euro a year.

Shaymoboy

Good to see some attention on this issue. Personnally, I had two bikes stolen within the last few years.

I will be highlighting the issue with my local TD when he shows up on my door step.