Advice from the police to avoid bike theft

The following advice has been sent out by Derbyshire police to help avoid cycle theft.

Officers are encouraging residents to keep their bicycles secure to prevent being targeted by criminals. This can be accomplished by following the advice below.

1. Get a quality lock (pay 10% of the price of the bike)
Expect to pay at least £40 for a lock, Make sure you buy a certified Sold Secure lock. www.soldsecure.com these are tested to withstand attack. Gold cycle secure is the highest cycle security standard. Higher grade security can be achieved by buying a gold standard motorbike lock.

2. Make your mark
Marking your bike with a unique code ensures that the police will be able to trace your bike back to you if it is stolen and recovered.  There are several companies who offer bike marking products and these can be found on the internet.  You could also use a UV pen or Smartwater.

3. Record and Register
Keep a record of the frame number, the make/model and any other marks that can identify your bike Also, take a photograph of the bike and write a description, so you can describe it accurately if it does get stolen. Register your bike for free at www.bikeregister.com. You can download a Bike Logbook which allows you to put all the details stated above so you can give this to the police to help track your bike down.

4. Insure it
Check whether your home contents insurance covers your bike. Make sure it covers you for thefts outside the home too. If your bicycle is particularly valuable you may need to insure it separately.

5. When out and about
• Park your bike in a well-lit area, where it can be easily seen by passers-by.
• Lock both wheels and the frame of your bike to a cycle stand or other immoveable object. (Make sure the locks go through the bike frame as well as both wheels and the post you are securing it to. Also, make sure it isn’t possible to cut through the post, or for the bike to be lifted up over the top of it).
• Take any removable items with you such as wheels, lights, baskets and saddle.

If you use an app that tracks your progress enable privacy settings so that your house is not identified.

6. At home
More than half of bikes are stolen from home. Reduce the chances of this happening by storing your bike in a locked shed or garage. You can view products that have been tested to resist attack at www.soldsecure.com. More advice about home security can be found at www.thecrimepreventionwebsite.com.

7. Buying a second hand bike

Things to consider when you are buying a second hand bike:

• Take a friend with you and always meet the seller at their home address.
• Do not meet in a public place.
• Does the seller really know the bike’s history?
• Do they look like they could be the owner of the bike they are selling?
• Examine the bike thoroughly to check if the frame number has been removed or if it has a bike security mark on it. If the seller can produce an original purchase receipt and service history, that’s a good sign of a genuine sale.
• Is the bike being advertised at market value? If not, ask yourself why?
• If you go ahead with the purchase, always get a receipt for the sale. A genuine seller will be happy to provide one.

8. Checking to see if the bike is stolen
Members of the public can check whether a bike has been stolen by clicking the following link https://www.bikeregister.com/bike-checker and inputting the frame number, QR code number or the unique bike register number. Anyone can scan a QR code on the bike to establish if it is stolen or call 0800 587 4739 during office hours.

9. If your bike has been stolen
Call 101 and report it to the police, update its status on Bike Register. Give the police the details of the bike you have recorded. Over the forthcoming weeks please view websites such as Ebay, Gumtree, Preloved etc. or any other sale sites, as your bike may come up for sale. If you believe that you have found your bike for sale please contact the police on 101.

Approved and tested Bike security products and other items can be found at http://www.securedbydesign.com/  and http://www.soldsecure.com/. Secured by design is an ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) approved group that provide information about crime reduction and prevention. Other crime prevention advice can be found at www.thecrimepreventionwebsite.com.

For further crime prevention advice contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team on 101 or visit http://www.derbyshire.police.uk