Bicycle thefts become steadily more common as summer approaches, and summer is their peak season.
Especially then, the owners he reason to worry about leing their bike so it doesn鈥檛 get stolen. Also bicycle parts are often stolen. This is not only a Finnish phenomenon, as bicycle theft is the most commonly spread form of crime in Europe.
Bicycle thefts can be targeted precisely
A total of around 20,000 thefts of bikes and their accessories are reported to the police each year. The amount is large and raises questions.
Where do stolen bicycles end up? Nowadays, bikes are often traded in various online services. Bike thieves may use information about what is easy to sell online and steal that kind of items. Jopo bikes, for example, been popular lately.
Bikes are traditionally being stolen from the outside of houses, bicycle storage rooms in blocks of flats and from public places. Some of the bikes he been left unlocked in locked premises. In some cases, only a broken lock remains at the crime scene.
Prepare for bike theft in advance:
Keep the bike鈥檚 identification data (number, make, model, size) in your records. Usually the bike鈥檚 number has been printed on the lower part of the frame. Write the serial number down. With the serial number, the police can record the bicycle as wanted. Without the number, it鈥檚 impossible to connect a bike and its owner. The bicycle can also be marked with different products. Take photographs of your bike. A description is easier to give with a picture, and it can also help identify a bicycle ending up with the police. Get a good lock for the bicycle. Thieves are always ahead about this, but it鈥檚 still unadvisable to lee a bike unlocked. Think about where you lee your bike and for how long. If your bike is stolen, you can report it in the police鈥檚 online services. Remember to give the bicycle鈥檚 identification information accurately.