Thieves get on your bike
April 27, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Insurance
Britain’s shift towards being a nation of green-minded individuals is being exploited by thieves.
That is according to new research which shows that bicycle thefts have grown by ten per cent in the last 12 months.
As more and more of us try to do our bit for the environment by ditching the car and peddling to and from work, thieves are capitalising.
Halifax Home Insurance has revealed that a bike is stolen every 71 seconds in the UK, with their being a total of 439,000 bike thefts every year.
Bike owners are now being advised to check their home insurance policy to ensure that their wheels are covered should they be stolen from a public place.
Figures from Halifax show that in 2006, 89 per cent of bike thefts occurred in a public place when the bike had been locked up.
“One bicycle theft occurring every 71 seconds is an astounding figure and should certainly make cyclists think more carefully about the level of security they use to keep their bike safe,” said Vicky Emmott from Halifax Home Insurance.
“With the majority of thefts coming from bikes that have been placed under lock and key, it may be worth considering spending a little more money for a high security lock that might stand a better chance of deterring a thief.”
London has been named as the UK’s bike theft hotspot and the average claim in the capital is for around £340.
