What To Do About Bike Theft

Right after returning from our Big Bear trip in August, my beautiful bike was stolen from our vehicle’s bike rack. This the second bike I’ve had stolen in three years at the same residence. Of course, I knew that leaving it on the (locked) bike rack overnight was a risk,  but I thought, “Oh, I’ll put it away tomorrow. It should be okay for one night.” Big mistake. Apparently, bike theft is on the rise in my neighborhood and across the country.

Why bike theft, of all thefts? Because it’s a crime without consequence. Low monetary return without any risk. Bike thieves can make a little income rounding up bikes from all kinds of places and selling them at bike swap meets. Few people ever check the serial numbers of bikes to make sure they aren’t stolen and most people don’t register their serial numbers anyway, so who’s to know.

So what’s a bike owner to do in the event of a bike theft? Here are some tips I’ve learned from my two experiences:

Before the Theft Occurs:

1. Register your bike with a well-known website like BikeIndex.org. Take photos, describe your bike, list it (the serial number) as your own.
2. Keep it out of sight and locked away. Both instances, in my case, my bike was locked, but in plain view – this is especially important at night time or over night when thieves prowl quiet areas looking for things to steal.
3. Make sure your renters insurance covers bikes and the deductible is low enough to cover the cost of your bike. (First time, my renter’s covered my bike, second time, I made the mistake of increasing my out-of-pocket amount and I had to cover the cost myself).

After a Bike Theft:

1. If you haven’t already registered it with a site like BikeIndex.org, do it now and list it as stolen.
2. File a police report (chances are slim they will find the bike, but you never know when a bike theft ring might get busted and they have your information on file).
3. Check with renter’s insurance to see if they will cover your bike without increasing your rates. If your bike is less than $200, you might just want to pay for a replacement bike out-of-pocket anyway.
4. Pee-Wee Herman your next bike. Use more than just a flimsy cable lock – use a U-Lock as well. The Kryptonite locks offer anti-theft protection up to a few years.

Bike theft just stinks. It’s a disheartening feeling walking to your bike and finding it’s disappeared.