London, Thames Valley, and Greater Manchester cyclists are more likely to have their bicycles stolen than cyclists in any other region of England, according to research.
Using police statistics, the pricing comparison website Comparethemarket forecasted that by the end of 2022, 72,445 bicycles will have been stolen in England.
However, bike theft rates in Leicestershire have increased by 23 percent more than in any other county since 2020.
London was anticipated to have the largest amount of bicycle thefts in 2022, with 22,818 bicycles estimated to have been stolen by the end of the year.
Five regions in England with the highest and lowest risk of bicycle theft have been identified.
Using police statistics, the pricing comparison website Comparethemarket forecasted that by the end of 2022, 72,445 bicycles will have been stolen in England.
This resulted in a bike theft likelihood score of 5.4% for the capital and its surroundings.
At 4,460, Thames Valley, which includes Oxford, Milton Keynes, and Slough, had the second-highest expected number of bicycle thefts.
This resulted in a bike theft likelihood score of 3.8 out of ten for the area.
Greater Manchester followed closely after with 4,354 anticipated bike thefts and a probability score of 2.8, placing it in third place.
Cambridgeshire ranked fourth with 3,458 anticipated bike thefts, but received a score of ten for bike theft probability.
Meanwhile, fifth-ranked Avon and Somerset will report 2,598 bicycle thefts by the end of the year.
Sixth with 2,304 expected bike thefts was Sussex, seventh was Hampshire, and eighth was the West Midlands (1,997).
West Yorkshire, which includes Bradford, scored ninth with 1,773 expected bike thefts, while Northumbria ranked tenth with 1,654 predicted bike thefts.
It follows a cycling boom during the epidemic, with Halfords claiming a 57% increase in bicycle-related sales during lockdown.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, bikers in Cumbria are least likely to have their bikes stolen, with only 169 thefts forecast for 2022, followed by Warwickshire with 372 thefts expected.
The region with the fewest bike thefts in England was Durham, followed by Devon and Cornwall, Suffolk, and then Cleveland.
Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Northamptonshire, and Lancashire rounded out the counties where bikers are least likely to have their bikes stolen.
Moreover, Leicestershire experienced the greatest increase in bike thefts over the past few years, with police reports increasing by 23% between 2020 and 2021.
Wiltshire ranked second, with a 14 percent increase in stolen bicycles over the same time period.
Humberside, South Yorkshire, and Merseyside followed with increases of 12 percent in each region.
Anna McEntee, director of Comparethemarket, stated, “With so many bike thefts occurring across the country, it is imperative that bikers do everything in their power to avoid bike theft.”
This should involve purchasing high-quality locks and registering your bicycle with the National Cycle Database.
Tips from the pros to keep your bicycle safe
Given that an anticipated 71,541 bike thefts will occur in England in 2023, it is imperative that bikers do everything possible to prevent their bikes from being stolen.
Here are a few safety precautions cyclists can take:
Invest in a pair of high-quality locks to slow down potential thieves and make your bicycle less of a target.
Consider carefully where you park. Never secure your bicycle to something that can be moved, broken, or cut through.
Sign up for the National Cycle Database. If your bicycle is stolen and recovered by the police, they will immediately recognize that it belongs to you.