Bicycle Theft Prevention

• Get a U Lock for your bike. The overwhelming majorities of stolen bikes are locked with a cable or chain, or weren’t locked at all. The least expensive U-lock is better than the best chain.

• A bike being unlocked is a bigger factor in whether it gets stolen than how expensive the bike is.

• Most bikes that are stolen have been left unlocked “just for a minute”

• Lock the front wheel to the frame, if you can lock it to something.

• Don’t use parking meters or sign polls because the bikes can easily be lifted over and taken away in seconds.

• Avoid parking bike overnight in public if you can avoid it.

• Take a picture of your bike to help identify it if is stolen.

• Write down your bike serial number and etch your driver’s license number 2 places on your bike. Using the drivers license number will greatly assist police in recovery of stolen bikes.

• Stolen bicycles unlike motor vehicles are extremely difficult for police to recover.  Check with the BPD warehouse and ask to look at confiscated bikes.

• Most bicycle recoveries have been initiated by the victim because they have spotted it being used in the neighborhood, advertised on-line or being sold at a second hand bike shop.