Bicycle Theft and Safety
2nd of June, 2024
If you’ve ever had your bicycle stolen, you’ll know how upsetting it can be.
Our practical tips will help keep your bike safe and out of the hands of thieves.
The most important thing to remember is, double lock your bike and register the frame number.
Ten ways to protect your bike - Follow these ten tips to ensure your bike remains safe, secure, and not a statistic.
1 Double lock it
Using two locks slows thieves down and makes your bike less of a target. Use two quality locks, at least one of which is a D-lock. Thieves are less likely to carry multiple tools, so use two different types of lock if possible
2 Lock the lot
Lock the frame and both wheels to a secure cycle stand.
3 Secure it
Secure your bike as close to the stand as possible to give any thieves little or no room to manoeuvre
4 Take removable parts with you
Take parts that are easy to remove with you, such as wheels, lights, baskets, or the saddle. Or use locking skews or nuts which can increase security by securing the bike's components to the frame permanently.
5 Park securely
Lock your bike at recognised secure cycle parking. It should be well lit and covered by CCTV.
6 Register it
Register your frame number on a national bike registration database approved by Secured by Design. The frame number is usually found underneath the bike between the pedals or where the back wheel slots in. If your bike is ever stolen and recovered by the police, it can be traced back to you.
7 Mark it
Get your bike security marked. It’s a highly effective, visible deterrent to bike thieves. They know that if they are caught with a registered bike, the owner can be traced, and they will be arrested. Security marking products can be found at Secured by Design.
8 Remember safety begins at home
Take the same care to lock your bike securely at home as you would on the street. Avoid advertising that you have a bike at home, for example, by removing car roof racks, and creating ‘privacy zones’ on apps like Strava to avoid disclosing your location.
9 Check ownership
Ask for proof of ownership and check the bike frame number on national bike registration databases approved by Secured by Design.
10 Act fast
If your bike has been stolen, contact us as soon as possible by calling 101 or reporting online. Give us your frame number, cycle database number, a photo and any other details and make sure you update the status on the cycle database where you registered it. The sooner we know, the sooner we can act, which might stop it being sold on.
Report it online:
www.doitonline.lancashire.police.uk
For a non emergency call 101. Always call 999 if the crime is being committed now, the offender is nearby, or if you or other people are injured or in danger.