UK bike thefts have fallen within the first a part of 2023

28 July 2023

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WALKING again from a gathering, the retailers, or out of your home on a morning and never seeing your bike the place you left it’s a state of affairs no motorcyclist needs to expertise.

Talking from expertise, it’s a feeling of confusion, disbelief, anger, and disappointment, all bundled up right into a four-word phrase which fits one thing like; “oh for f**** sake’!

The excellent news is, in keeping with the Motorbike Crime Discount Group (MCRG) fewer persons are saying that phrase, as within the first a part of 2023, thefts are reported to be on the decline.

The variety of bikes nonetheless being stolen within the UK although is a staggering one, with 9,492 being reported between January and Might 2023, though that could be a 2.6 p.c lower in comparison with the identical interval in 2022. Bike theft decline steadily all through the primary quarter too, with the MCRG seeing a drop in March, April, and Might.

Of the bikes stolen throughout the UK, 58 p.c have been bikes and 42 p.c have been categorised as both scooters or quads. Naturally, London noticed the best variety of thefts, on condition that this has the best focus of bikes nationally, however even there, thefts fell over the January to Might interval by 16.4 p.c, with Manchester additionally seeing a fall in thefts of 24.9 p.c. It wasn’t all excellent news although, as some areas noticed a rise in thefts that went towards the grain of the remainder of the UK’s stats. Avon and Somerset was one in every of these areas and noticed a 21.5 p.c enhance in bike thefts.

There’s extra excellent news although, and that’s that extra bikes are getting recovered after they’ve been stolen, with a reported 7.4 p.c enhance within the variety of bikes discovering their method again to their house owners.

Whereas the information is constructive, it’s under no circumstances a inexperienced flag to grow to be extra complacent in terms of bike theft, if something, riders ought to be doubling down on bike safety. Because the thefts fall, bike thieves who make a dwelling out of this, or use stolen bikes to facilitate different crimes, will grow to be much more determined to get their palms on a motorbike, that means they may go to even higher lengths and grow to be much more brazen of their theft makes an attempt.