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I came across a news story from the UK that describes a “new scheme” to deter bike thefts in areas that have seen an increase in stolen bikes. The article points out that thieves even cut through locks (gasp! The scoundrels!) to steal bikes. The scheme involves a week of “marking days” when bike owners can have their bikes tagged with an information chip, be given awareness literature and receive “passports” where the owners can give detailed information about the bike and include a photo too. The passports are to help the police return stolen bikes once recovered.
I know, this all sounds pretty standard. “Register your bike with the police”, right? I think, what surprised me the most about this pretty standard form of dealing with bike theft (unfortunately, not preventative), was to what extent the police are actually going to make cyclists aware of the issue. I mean, seriously, how many police units in the U.S. have “marking days” where they essentially come to YOU in order to register your bike? Can you imagine them caring that much? Is the incentive to prevent criminals from using bikes as gateway crimes to bigger problems? I don’t know, I’m being cynical, but I know this just doesn’t happen where I live and would be seen as a waste of police time if it was made public. What about where you live though? Has your local police force taken an interest and gone to such lengths in getting your bike back to you once stolen? If the police did something similar to these marking days, would you take part?
Sorry for the link [1] being only in French, but our family bikes are all marked for several years now. The idea is that the code is visible. Our local “bike groups” often offer to mark bikes, setting up a “marking day” on bike lanes or in schools. Police do not manage the data about bikes, but have access to them in order to return stolen bikes they find to their user.
[1] http://bicycode.org/
I have a book that is nothing but information of my bicycles, pictures, purchase receipts, maintenance receipts, etc. I’ve had to use it already to ask the police to keep an eye out for a stolen bicycle (my son left it unlocked for two days up at school!). I haven’t gotten the bicycle back yet, but I can prove it’s mine if it ever shows up!
Quite smart Berger… I had the misfortunte of having my bike stolen, but luckily had recent photos on hand. I made flyers, gave them out everywhere and recovered my bike the same night it was stolen. The police not only didn’t help, but actually delayed the process. It helped that it was a brakeless fixed gear, so the thief had trouble riding it and abandonded it, but the other documentation measures helped as well.
Generally, the police in my area (Southwest Michigan) seem to see bicycles as toys and nothing more. I doubt that very many understand the value certain bicyles can carry. I keep pretty solid documentation of my bikes, including pictures, receipts, upgrades, but it didn’t help when one of them was stolen. I probably wouldn’t register my bikes with the police. I don’t think it would do any more good than keeping good documentation, and the fewer interactions with the police the better.
In general, police forces in the UK are very keen on promoting the deterrence and prevention of ALL theft, whether it be of bicycles and motor vehicles, to thefts from the person or from your property.
Their reasoning is, everything the public does to prevent theft makes the police’s work easier, and it costs very little to do this, compared to the costs involved in recovering stolen property.
They don’t have a register of bicycles (this is available privately though), but they will do all they can to help you compile a record of your bike (for you to keep), from frame numbers and photographs to receipts, and in that sense the British cyclist is very fortunate compared to other countries.
When I was in college in Austin, TX the police would have marking and registration days on campus. Maybe that is just a college town/campus thing due to the cycling population bein higher?
There are free alternatives to waiting for the police. Bike Shepherd is a global bike registration site that also offers tags that can be scanned with a smartphone, letting police, potential buyers or Good Samaritans know if a bike is stolen or not, with ability to send a message to the owner as to location of his bike. Police should wake up to this service – http://www.bikeshepherd.org
I also came across a campusbike management service launched called wwwridecampus.com