This also raises an important question for bike owners: How to secure the two-wheelers against thieves who are primarily targeting expensive electric bikes? The police advise that parked bicycles be secured against thieves with good and correctly applied locks and that they be marked individually.
Bicycles are a popular stolen item
The number of bicycle thefts has increased: more than a quarter of a million bicycles were stolen last year (2022: 265,562 / 2021: 233,584). The thieves don't just strike in dark corners, lonely places or streets that are difficult to see. Even expensive electric bikes are increasingly being stolen from cellars or garages that are not effectively secured.
Joachim Schneider gives the reason for this : “Although many electric-powered bikes have a frame lock that locks the front and rear wheels, this is not sufficient to protect against theft, as the bike can be carried away or simply loaded into a car.”
“Although many electric bikes have a frame lock that locks the front and rear wheels, this is not enough to protect against theft as the bike can be carried away or simply loaded into a car.”
Joachim Schneider, Managing Director of Police Crime Prevention
Schneider therefore recommends a stable, solid steel chain, U-lock or armored cable lock with “tested quality” made of high-quality material. Either the lock should be large enough so that the front and rear wheels as well as the frame can be connected to a fixed object, or you can use several locks. Valuable accessories such as batteries or displays should also be secured with a reliable lock or taken with you.
There are now also hidden tracking transmitters such as so-called GPS trackers that can be attached to the bike. You send an alarm to your cell phone via SMS when the bike is moved. They also constantly transmit the location of the bike.
Bicycle identification is important
In order for a stolen and recovered bike to be easily assigned to its owner, it needs an individual identification. Owners or specialist dealers can attach these, for example by engraving them. Many bikes sold in Germany already have an individual frame number stamped or engraved into the frame at the factory.
If a bike is stolen, a bike pass will help you find it. Important information about the bike (e.g. frame number and size, insurance, manufacturer, model, bike type, photo, proof of ownership) is noted there. Many dealers issue such a special bicycle pass; the police advise asking about it when purchasing.
You can find more information about protecting yourself against bicycle theft and what to do if the bike goes missing, as well as a bicycle pass to fill out, in the police leaflet “Securing your bikes properly”. It can be downloaded here: www.polizei-beratung.de/medienangebot/detail/25-raeder-proper-securen
Source:
State and federal police crime prevention
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