Locksmith Melbourne, Locksmith Northcote, Security tips

Lock up your bikes

If you live in Northcote and use Twitter you may have recently seen a tweet calling for help to locate a stolen bike.  Andrew, a local Northcote resident had his distinctive black Verite carbon frame bicycle stolen from his home during a break-in.  His bike wasn’t locked so the theives were able to easily wheel it away. He reported the break-in to police but also sent out a message on Twitter with a description and photo of the bike. His faith in human nature was a little restored when over 70 people (mostly locals) responded by re-tweeting his message in order to help him find his uninsured bike.


Andrew hasn’t had any leads on his bike but we wish him luck.

Meanwhile, bicycle thefts in Northcote, Thornbury and Fairfield have reached ‘epidemic proportions’ according to Darebin Police.  In Northcote alone, 160 bikes have been stolen in the past 15 months, and not all bike thefts are reported. Sen. Constable Wheeler (yes, Wheeler) from Darebin Proactive Unit told the Preston Leader that ‘the station was heaving with unclaimed bikes, many presumed stolen’.  However, unless owners have a serial number recorded or a photo of their missing bike, there is no way police can reunite owners with their bikes.

Bicycle Network Victoria and police maintain that poor quality locks are a major cause of the recent rise in bike theft. Garry Brennan from Bicycle Network Victoria recommends bike riders invest in a high-quality D-lock to lock up their bikes. In fact, BNV have a comprehenisve guide to good bike locks on their site.

The moral of the story is: Lock up your bikes, with a high-quality lock and even if you’re leaving it at home.

 

Preston Leader
7 Aug 2013