As the weather warms up, citizens tend to use road bicycles as an affordable means of transport to get to work, summer cottages, and private plots of land.
As the weather warms up, citizens tend to use road bicycles as an affordable means of transport to get to work, summer cottages, and private plots of land. Owning a road bicycle, citizens forget about the security of their property and contribute to its theft by leaving their property unattended. As experience shows, bicycles are often stolen, especially if no protective measures are taken. How to protect your bicycle from theft and not attract the attention of criminals. After all, bicycles can be expensive, but inexpensive bicycles are also stolen just for a ride. In the first 6 months of 2017, 5 road bicycles were stolen in the Lepel district: 3 from apartment building entrances, 1 from a basement, and 1 from a shed (in 2016 – 13). In most cases, bicycle thieves act in a standard way – they cut through locks and cables of parked bicycles. This can happen anywhere, including near shops and on central streets. All traces of the thief disappear into the crowd, and the owner left without their bicycle cannot figure out how to act and whom to contact. Bicycles are often stolen from children, and it is also children who ask their peers to ride and, of course, do not return the bicycle to the owner. Theft also frequently occurs in premises adjacent to apartments. Thieves take advantage of people's careless habit of leaving their two-wheeled transport in front of doors, in the entrances of multi-story buildings. Having gone through one entrance, they can take several bicycles at once.
Example: On 09.01.2017, an unidentified person stole a road bicycle from the entrance of house No. 82 A on Kalinin Street in the town of Lepel.
On 04.06.2017, an unidentified person stole a road bicycle from the entrance of house No. 165 on Chuykov Street in the town of Lepel.
After that, stolen bicycles are sold to fences, who sell them for half price to unlucky citizens or dismantle them for spare parts.
Tips for bicycle owners:
1. Never leave your bicycle near markets, train stations, or other places with large crowds of people, or in plain sight of teenage and youth groups.
2. Always secure your bicycle to fixed structures using special devices such as a "chain with a lock or a cable with a lock", even if you are only stepping away for a moment. Check the stand to which you are securing the bicycle. If it is a water pipe or a bin, ensure it is securely fastened.
3. A cable lock (available at all markets) should have a built-in locking system (the lock itself, into which the key is inserted). A "wire + block" type lock is less effective.
4. Two types of locks can be used. Some thieves can easily open one lock, but two present a problem.
5. Before your first ride, record the frame number (stamped underneath the hub) and complete all ownership documents for the bicycle. This will not, of course, prevent theft, but it will facilitate its recovery. If there is no number, you can have an engraving made with any text.
6. Do not leave your bicycle accessories unattended on the bicycle, specifically: hand luggage, wallets, mobile phones.
7. Try to secure the bicycle by the frame and the wheel; if possible, remove the saddle.
8. Do not leave your bicycle for extended periods (more than a few hours, especially at night) in unsecured areas.