Update on Bicycle thefts

Bicycle thefts have been massively reduced at Leeds University simply by putting pictures of staring eyes above cycle racks around campus.

Bike theft is unfortunately rife in the Leeds and Yorkshire area. It’s a terrible problem which is seen not just in Leeds but around the UK. Recently the local council tried an experiment in which they placed pictures of human eyes near bike racks. These were simply stickers which looked like eyes and were stuck to the walls or windows near to the bikes. This amazing technique which was so simple to do helped reduce bike theft by up to 25% in the area.

This test took place over 3 years and was tested at over 55 sites throughout the Leeds and west Yorkshire area. The amazing thing is that people see the stickers and unconsciously feel that somebody is watching them. This makes them less likely and feel less comfortable in trying to steal any bikes.

The test was conducted by the site manager who read online that when people feel as though they are been watched they are less likely to want to commit crime. Bikes are one of the most used methods of transport around universities and because of this bicycle theft is high in the area. There were so many calls been received regarding bicycles been stolen in Leeds that they called a Locksmith to come and try and offer some solutions.

Unfortunately they were advised that, no matter what you do, you can have the biggest thickest chain around your bike. However with effort and determination any bicycle can be stolen eventually. So the best option was was simplest and cheapest. Simply sticking pictures of eyes around the bicycle racks made people feel as though they were been watched on the security cameras even when in reality they weren’t at all.

Well what were the results I hear you ask? The results found that there was a 34% reduction in bicycle crime around the campus in the immediate 4 months following the implantation of the stickers. It could well be that one the thieves get used to seeing the stickers than crime may well start to increase again.

However for now, for a cheap and fast short term solution it seems to be having a great effect. What does this mean? Does this mean everyone should place stickers of eyes in their windows at home? Well it could be worth a try. Thieves are very nervous and if they see this in the window it may well put them off breaking in.

However at home their are better things you can do to improve your security. For one instance upgrading your locks to anti snap cylinder locks is a very simply and cost effective solution to improve your security. These once installed mean that the locks are very hard for thieves to snap out (one of the most common methods of entry).

They could still try and drill the lock however this is very noisy. This only leaves the option of picking the lock and contrary to the movies, this is very hard and most thieves would not obtain the skill to do this. One type of super high quality lock which I always recommend is the ABS anti snap lock.

This is a premium anti snap lock with also has anti pick features, however for some people it can absolutely be worth the investment. So for universities, eye stickers may help to reduce bicycle thefts and for at home anti snap lock upgrades may help your home security. However what can you do to improve the security of your bicycles at home?

Well at home you can install ground anchors to attach the bicycles to. Or even better yet, keep them in your garage and ensure you have a good garage lock. You can also install CCTV and automatic lighting systems to deter people from coming onto your property. Also consider purchasing a good gate which locks at night.

Although people could most likely jump over your gate, it would be very hard for them to jump back over the gate with your bicycle so this would be yet another deterrent to stop them from stealing your bicycle. One other method I suggest is one which I learned after speaking to a man who lived in Leeds. He told me that what he does is, he leaves just light on in the downstairs hallways. This is a low powered LED light so could be left on all year and literally only costs a few pounds a year to leave on.

This means that when people walk past the house late at night they look in and it looks as though he is still awake in the house. They cannot be sure if you are awake or sleeping so are very nervous about braking in. The best part of using this method is that it requires no calls to a locksmith to set up and therefore no cost. It really is just as simple as leaving a light on and going to bed. In fact figures show that people who leave a light on in their properties receive 46% less brake ins than those who turn the lights off. So that’s something to think about isn’t it.

Here at Lemon Locksmith we don’t just help with bicycle security, but we also help with motorbike security also. We often get asked for advice on this as motor bikes are a prime target for thieves. One solution is to install a ground anchor in your garage or patio. This is literally what it sounds like. It is a very strong metal anchor which is drilled and screwed into solid ground.

This than allows you to chain your motorbike to the anchor with a high security chain. This means that, should the worst happen, and somebody does indeed brake into your garage, they still won’t be able to steal your motorbike as it is chained to the anchor. The other way to remove this would be to spend a long time with an angle grinder to cut it off. Most thieves won’t have this as they won’t be expecting the anchor once they brake into the garage.

However even if they do bring an angle grinder, it would take such a long time to cut through, and would be so noisy, that they would be reluctant to do so. So there you have it, one simply tip to improve your garage security is to install a ground anchor in your garage. However don’t forgot to invest in a high quality security chain. It’s no use investing in an expensive ground anchor and then using a cheap chain to attach your bike to it. Ensure you invest in a high quality chain which is thick and strong, it’s a one off investment so I would advise it.

One last method of improving your bicycle security is of course to keep it out of view! Why not place the bicycle round the back of the house to hide it from prying eyes. Don’t be lazy and leave the bike in the front of the house as this is basically acting as an advertisement saying ”come and steal me!”. For some people these advertisements are too irresistible to ignore.

That shiny new bike calls and beckons them to come into your driveway and take your bike. So hide it out of the way. Well I hope that you enjoyed this little blog regarding bike security in Yorkshire and learn a few lessons from it. If you ever do need to upgrade your bicycle security then we can help by providing you with thick good quality locks so feel free to give me a ring and I will pop out and give you a quote.