“If your bike is stolen, report the theft to Gardaí as soon as you can.”
Cyclists are urged to take extra precautions in keeping their bicycles safe by locking them in the most secure way possible as new figures reveal that almost €2 million worth of bikes have been stolen in Ireland over the past two years.
Over 14,000 bikes have been stolen since 2016 according to figures issued on Thursday by the Garda Analysis Services.
Bicycle theft was up 7.5% in 2017 and is on course to increase again by the end of 2018.
The most common time for a bike to be stolen is between the hours of 8am and 5pm, with Friday noted as statistically the most common day for bike theft.
The average cost of a stolen bike, meanwhile, amounts to around €510.
According to the report, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway account for 83% of all bicycle theft.
52% of bikes are stolen on public streets, while 32% are taken from homes.
As part of their new ‘Lock It or Lose It’ campaign, An Garda Síochána have issued the following advice:
- Spend 10% to 20% of the value of your bike of two locks
- Lock your bike tightly to an immovable object
- Keep the lock off the ground
- Take a photo of your bike, note the serial number and email it back to yourself so you have a record of it forever
- Lock your bike indoors or in well-lit areas if possible
“We are appealing to everyone from the pros to the Sunday cyclist to lock their bikes as securely as possible,” said Crime Prevention Officer Sgt Tony Davis.
“There has been an increase in the number of people cycling over recent years but unfortunately there is poor awareness of bike security. Nowadays with cycle the to work schemes, people are investing in more expensive bikes so it makes sense to invest in quality locks to prevent bike theft.”
Sgt Davis noted that there is a trend of people not reporting bike theft, which makes it difficult for the Gardaí to reunite any recovered bikes with their owners.
“If your bike is stolen, report the theft to Gardaí as soon as you can,” says Davis.
Some of the bikes and other property that are currently in Garda property stores can be viewed at this link.
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