Bike crime down by 19% despite record boom in bicycle sales

Reported bicycle thefts fell by nearly 19% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2019, according to the latest police crime figures.

The falling rate of bike crime comes despite a record boom in bicycle sales during the UK’s successive lockdowns.

The total number of bicycle thefts between April and June 2021 came in at 17,940, almost 19% lower than during the same period in 2019, when reported thefts clocked in at 22,140.

The biggest year-on-year drops were recorded in West Mercia, Hertfordshire and the City of London, where police forces recorded a 50% fall in reported bicycle thefts.

In May 2021 the Bicycle Association reported that the number of bicycles sold in the UK had risen by 25% year-on-year, while the aggregate value of bikes sold had risen by 40%, suggesting that as more people began to take up cycling many were opting to invest in higher-end bicycles.

The bicycle crime data is compiled by the Economic Policy Centre and compares reported thefts from 41 police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Responding to the latest figures, Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk – which launched one of the UK’s first price comparison services for bicycle insurance – comments: “It’s very welcome news that the number of reported bike thefts is still significantly down from pre-pandemic levels despite the gradual easing of lockdown measures in most parts of the country. The falling crime rate is particularly positive given the sharp rise in the number of bike sales during lockdown, which could offer more options for opportunistic bike thieves if cyclists don’t take the necessary precautions.

“Of course, despite this positive trend there are still thousands of bicycle thefts every month in the UK, which is why we would encourage cyclists to ensure their bicycles are both secured and insured – particularly if they are one of those bike owners that have made the decision to invest in a high-end bicycle.

“While some home insurance policies will cover the policyholder’s bicycle, this might not be enough to fully insure a high-end bike because many of these policies impose a single item limit of £1,000 or £1,500.

“If a bike owner’s home insurance policy doesn’t cover their bicycle, or if the single item limit on their policy means the coverage isn’t enough to meet their needs, we’d advise them to look into a standalone bicycle insurance policy for their wheels.”

Quotezone.co.uk is one of the UK’s leading insurance comparison platforms, and helps over 3 million users find a more competitive deal each year on a wide range of different insurance products, including bicycle insurance,  electric bicycle insurance  and road bike insurance.