Bike Theft Survey Results

SilverLiningOK

Bike Theft Survey Results [Dublin Cycling Campaign]



The images above give a summary of the results of the Bike Theft survey we conducted in December 2014. Over 1500 people completed the survey and of these over 1000 had had a bicycle stolen in Dublin in the last 5 years. Some of the key points from survey:

• 1 in 6 (17%) who have a bike stolen don’t replace their bike
• A further 1 in 4 reduce the amount they cycle following their bike being stolen
• Over 40% of stolen bikes were locked with a cable lock
• Underground car parks and homes are as bad as streets for theft.

Using the data we gathered from the survey we have now got agreement from the Gardai, NTA, City Council Planners, City Councillors, Bike shops and Web sites to work on a project, co-ordinated by the Cycling Campaign, to tackle bike theft.
This is just one example of the how campaigns that we run can improve the cycling experience in Dublin. It all relies however, on people taking personal responsibility for changing things. The more people we have involved, the more we can do.


http://www.dublincycling.com/sites/dublincycling.com/files/dublincycling.ie_bike_theft_survey_results.pdf

News Item
Thursday, May 7, 2015


http://www.dublincycling.com/cycling/bike-theft-survey-results

crosstownk

In relation to the difficulties that Gardaí have in reuniting the bike with the owner: I did a straw poll recently with 5 other lads who cycle. Not one of them have recorded the frame number.

I had a bike stolen years ago (late 1980s). My bother took it to school as his was punctured and he was doing his leaving cert. He was in a panic and forgot to take a lock. When he came out from his exam it had been stolen. I reported to the Gardaí knowing that I'd never see it again.

Fast forward three years: I got a letter from the Gardaí to call to Kevin St. and collect my recovered bike. When I called in and was shown the bike it didn't look like mine. The Garda reassured me "it's the same frame number so take it out of here". On closer inspection I noticed that it had the aero levers I'd retro fitted but the frame had been resprayed. The paint job was a good one.

So I took my Peugeot Triathlon home and sold it.

SilverLiningOK

Fits in with the findings above - reduce cycling or give it up altogether.

Spending money on a good gold standard lock seems to be one of the best way to protect your investment. Why stop at one lock ? Using two different types such as heavy chain and a good u lock seems to be the next step. Where you lock up and for how long might be worth considering too.

Muahahaha

Its a pretty bad state of affairs when you go cycling around Dublin city centre locking your bike in different locations and feeling filled with paranoia about your bike being stolen while you're away.

1% of bike thefts resulting in a prosecution really shows that bike theft is a crime not taken seriously by the Gardai at all. In the meantime 20,000 annual bike thefts would suggest they have allowed it turn into a multi million euro industry.

unichall

Muahahaha wrote: »

1% of bike thefts resulting in a prosecution really shows that bike theft is a crime not taken seriously by the Gardai at all. In the meantime 20,000 annual bike thefts would suggest they have allowed it turn into a multi million euro industry.

To say gardai do not treat bike theft seriously is unfair in my opinion. General Gardai do not target solving/ preventing one type of crime over another. The problem is highlighted in the report, 20,000 thefts a year of which only 5,000 are reported of which only 1,000 have the required information to match owner and bike together at a later date and of those 1000 I would say the rate of detection and reuniting bike and owner aren't too bad. It is nigh on impossible to arrest someone for bike theft and get a court conviction without an injured party and believe me there are literally 1000's of bikes a year recovered that don't get claimed and as such caught bike thief lives to steal another day as Gardai are tied by the system.

beauf

I wonder how useful some of those stats are.

Over 40% of stolen bikes were locked with a cable lock - What % of bikers users is this. If 80% of people use cable locks, or 20% that says something very different.

Underground car parks and homes and streets - Where else do people keep bikes? Isn't this all locations in effect?

Cookie_Monster

Pity you wouldn't still get 6 months hard labour these days, might put the scumbags off stealing in the first place.

Muahahaha

unichall wrote: »

To say gardai do not treat bike theft seriously is unfair in my opinion. General Gardai do not target solving/ preventing one type of crime over another. The problem is highlighted in the report, 20,000 thefts a year of which only 5,000 are reported of which only 1,000 have the required information to match owner and bike together at a later date and of those 1000 I would say the rate of detection and reuniting bike and owner aren't too bad. It is nigh on impossible to arrest someone for bike theft and get a court conviction without an injured party and believe me there are literally 1000's of bikes a year recovered that don't get claimed and as such caught bike thief lives to steal another day as Gardai are tied by the system.

I understand the problem about under-reporting but for me the issue of bike thefts isn't one that should only be solved 'after the event'- what is needed is pro-active policiing rather than the reactive polciing we do have. That means tackling the criminal gangs that are undoubtedly involved in stealing bikes en masse, either by using GPS trackers pinned to 'bait bikes' or else by using undercover units to scour 2nd hand markets, Donedeal, etc.

But another part of helping to solve bike theft is police visibility which is often lacking in Dublin. At this stage many Gardai seem to prefer to drive down Grafton Street rather than walk down it. Its the same in many areas of the city, you can stand in any of the bike theft hotspots in Dublin all day long and if you do see a Garda they'll likely be in a car and there one second and gone the next. Bike thieves need to at least think there is a chance that they might get caught in order to deter them doing the crime in the first place. But at the moment they seem to have a free run of it because the Gardai are often so poorly visible on the streets. That might be a function of them being under-resourced or it might be a failure at management level but it always strikes me how invisible our police force often is in comparison to other European capitals. If there are 20,000 bike thefts a year in Dublin then that works out at almost 400 bikes being stolen a week, every week. Its out of control because the theives have a free for all where they know that there is little or no chance that they'll get caught, Gardai not being particularly visible on the streets plays a large part in that IMO.

unichall

Muahahaha wrote: »

That means tackling the criminal gangs that are undoubtedly involved in stealing bikes en masse, either by using GPS trackers pinned to 'bait bikes' or else by using undercover units to scour 2nd hand markets, Donedeal,

Its out of control because the theives have a free for all where they know that there is little or no chance that they'll get caught, Gardai not being particularly visible on the streets plays a large part in that IMO.

I don't disagree with you, the situation is bad, very bad but it is in my opinion for the reasons I highlighted. As far as bait bikes go, I like the idea but I'm not sure how our entrapment laws would see it, any good solicitor worth his salt will argue that point. However such operations needs specialist teams like you describe but with the successful prosecution rate being so Iow i assume garda management see the resources better spent, we all know that resources are limited at present and with little return froma unit because of the problems securing convictions who could blame them.

You are also correct when you say there is little to deter thieves, I know of times when they have been arrested, red-handed, only for the case to be struck out at a later date in court because of no injured party, what does that say to the criminal? There is a good chance even if I'm caught I won't even be prosecuted.

It's a minefield and the solution is not easy to come up with given the current resources available and the unlikely deployment of extra resources or the level of resources required to significantly impact on the problem.

Surveys and reports such as the above to help educate the public are a great help but perhaps the setting up of a register that all bike shops submit details of bikes sold to and to which AGS have access would be a significant step in assisting Gardai and in turn helping to fight the problem