Global Courant
According to data from Square One Insurance Services, bicycle thefts in several major cities of Canada have risen alarmingly this summer.
According to the insurance company, bike thefts are up 429 percent in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal.
The data, taken from the cities’ police reports, indicates that four of the seven cities saw an increase in 2022 compared to 2021.
The two smallest cities in the data set had the highest rates of theft when adjusted for population. This may be due to the small sample size of cities, according to Square One.
Of the nearly 75,000 reported thefts in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto between 2016 and 2022, 43 percent occurred in residential properties, 30.3 percent occurred outdoors in places such as parks and streets, 15.5 percent occurred on commercial properties well, 3.4 percent took place in educational facilities and 1.4 percent took place in transit areas such as buses, stations and trains, according to Square One.
The data also shows that nearly half of thefts took place in the victim’s home, mainly in the sheds or garages of most cities. However, a different trend was observed in Vancouver, where thieves were more likely to target bicycles on the street or in parks.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BIKE
Square One recommends that people take the following steps to protect themselves against bicycle theft:
Invest in a high quality lock: Use a hardened steel lock or consider using multiple types of locks for extra security. This makes it harder for thieves to break in and steal your bike.
Register your bike: Take advantage of services like Project 529, which work with local law enforcement agencies.
Choose a safe parking space: Choose a bicycle carrier that is firmly anchored in the ground or a building. With a good luggage carrier you can secure both the wheels and the frame of your bicycle. Find a parking space with limited access or, if that’s not possible, choose a spot with a lot of foot traffic.
Do not leave accessories or bags unattended: When storing your bike, do not leave valuable accessories or bags attached.
According to Square One, less than five percent of stolen bikes are ever returned to the owner.
Coverage for this story was paid for through the Meta-funded The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project.
