If it is this bad with a regular bicycle, what would it be with a e Bike ?
What is everyone's experience with bicycle thefts in other places?
USA? Canada?
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Bicycles will be stolen in under four hours, finds survey of Britain's cycle theft hotspots
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain’s ‘safest’ cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly.
By Alastair Jamieson
Published: 7:00AM BST 22 Jun 2009
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain?s ?safest? cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly.
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain?s ?safest? cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly. Photo: GETTY
Researchers armed with shiny new bicycles set out to discover how long it would take before thieves struck.
The quickest theft was at London Bridge railway station in south-east London, one of the busiest in the country, where an unsecured £130 bicycle was pilfered in just 17 minutes.
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Glasgow (1hr 30mins) and Birmingham (1hr 55mins) also proved to be hotspots, with bicycles disappearing into the arms of criminals in less than two hours.
At the other end of the scale, a bicycle left in bustling Mathew Street, Liverpool, remained undisturbed for three hours and 52 minutes.
Other cities involved in the experiment were Bristol, Manchester, Norwich, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Cardiff.
Employees at insurer More Than, who were behind the experiment, said they were shocked by the "efficiency and expertise" of the thieves.
Some bicycles were taken by individuals who "swooped" as they jogged past and one thief managed to ride away on his own bicycle while towing his bounty.
Marketing director Pete Markey said: "The experiment has shown us that it doesn't matter who you are or where you live, if you don't take the necessary precautions, it's only a matter of time before your bike is stolen.
"It really does make sense then to ensure your bike is secured properly to an immovable object before you leave it unattended, and to think about taking out insurance cover just in case the worst should happen."
Some 300,000 bicycles are stolen every year in Britain, one every two minutes, according to Government figures.
The summer cycling season traditionally sees a surge in thefts as people dig their trusty steeds out of the garage to enjoy the warm weather.
Insurers said the average bicycle costs £218, meaning thefts cost the nation some £65 million every year.
Bicycle owners should always use a good quality lock and chain and ensure it is fixed through the wheels and frame to an immovable object.
The full results were:
Liverpool, Mathew Street - three hours 52 minutes
Bristol, East Street, Bedminster - three hours 15 minutes
Manchester, Arndale shopping centre, Market Street - two hours 57 minutes
Norwich, Exchange Street - two hours 34 minutes
Newcastle, Eldon Garden shopping centre, Percy Street - two hours 25 minutes
Portsmouth, Albert Road, Southsea - two hours 12 minutes
Cardiff, Capitol shopping mall, Queen Street - two hours 10 minutes
Birmingham, The Rag Market, Edgbaston Street - one hour 55 minutes
Glasgow, Buchanan Street, one hour 30 minutes
London, London Bridge Station, Duke Street Hill - 17 minutes
What is everyone's experience with bicycle thefts in other places?
USA? Canada?
------------------------------------------------------------
Bicycles will be stolen in under four hours, finds survey of Britain's cycle theft hotspots
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain’s ‘safest’ cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly.
By Alastair Jamieson
Published: 7:00AM BST 22 Jun 2009
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain?s ?safest? cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly.
Bicycle thieves strike in under four hours even in Britain?s ?safest? cities, according to the results of a test to find where criminals would strike most quickly. Photo: GETTY
Researchers armed with shiny new bicycles set out to discover how long it would take before thieves struck.
The quickest theft was at London Bridge railway station in south-east London, one of the busiest in the country, where an unsecured £130 bicycle was pilfered in just 17 minutes.
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*
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*
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*
How to use Google Street View
*
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*
Public to vote on criminals' community sentences
*
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Glasgow (1hr 30mins) and Birmingham (1hr 55mins) also proved to be hotspots, with bicycles disappearing into the arms of criminals in less than two hours.
At the other end of the scale, a bicycle left in bustling Mathew Street, Liverpool, remained undisturbed for three hours and 52 minutes.
Other cities involved in the experiment were Bristol, Manchester, Norwich, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Cardiff.
Employees at insurer More Than, who were behind the experiment, said they were shocked by the "efficiency and expertise" of the thieves.
Some bicycles were taken by individuals who "swooped" as they jogged past and one thief managed to ride away on his own bicycle while towing his bounty.
Marketing director Pete Markey said: "The experiment has shown us that it doesn't matter who you are or where you live, if you don't take the necessary precautions, it's only a matter of time before your bike is stolen.
"It really does make sense then to ensure your bike is secured properly to an immovable object before you leave it unattended, and to think about taking out insurance cover just in case the worst should happen."
Some 300,000 bicycles are stolen every year in Britain, one every two minutes, according to Government figures.
The summer cycling season traditionally sees a surge in thefts as people dig their trusty steeds out of the garage to enjoy the warm weather.
Insurers said the average bicycle costs £218, meaning thefts cost the nation some £65 million every year.
Bicycle owners should always use a good quality lock and chain and ensure it is fixed through the wheels and frame to an immovable object.
The full results were:
Liverpool, Mathew Street - three hours 52 minutes
Bristol, East Street, Bedminster - three hours 15 minutes
Manchester, Arndale shopping centre, Market Street - two hours 57 minutes
Norwich, Exchange Street - two hours 34 minutes
Newcastle, Eldon Garden shopping centre, Percy Street - two hours 25 minutes
Portsmouth, Albert Road, Southsea - two hours 12 minutes
Cardiff, Capitol shopping mall, Queen Street - two hours 10 minutes
Birmingham, The Rag Market, Edgbaston Street - one hour 55 minutes
Glasgow, Buchanan Street, one hour 30 minutes
London, London Bridge Station, Duke Street Hill - 17 minutes