Three males brazenly using a cordless grinder to remove a bike D-lock outside Borough Green Station, Kent, cutting the lock off a bike and taking it.
The act was caught on camera by shocked bystanders who called the police.
They then try to escape with the bike but the lock gets stuck in its spokes. Then one of them fails to ride it as the chain appears to have come off so he ends up running up the hill pushing it.
The video shared online received comments, with some criticising those who did nothing but film the incident.
One reasoned why no one intervened, saying: ‘People wondering why nobody stopping them, would you risk getting stabbed over someone else’s bike?’ he said.
Home Office data showing that only 1 in 50 bike theft cases are being solved.
During 2021/22, there were 77,465 bike thefts were reported to police, in 66,769 of the cases no suspect was identified and only 1,239 resulted in a charge or summons.
Data showed there was significant regional variations between police forces. The worst failed area was Sussex, at 96.1%, followed by the Metropolitan police area (94.8%), Hampshire (94.2%), Surrey (91.5%) and Cambridgeshire (91%).
The data was used by the Lib Dems to attack the Conservatives over police numbers and funding.
Top 10 areas for bike thefts per person:
- City of London
- Cambridge
- Oxford
- Newport
- Chichester
- Warwick
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Camden
- Westminster
A Home Office spokesperson said more than 15,000 extra officers had been recruited, with another 5,000 due to be in place by March.
They said: “We understand the distress and disruption bike thefts causes victims. We want offenders charged and brought to justice, therefore we are working with partners across the criminal justice system to increase the number of cases being charged and prosecuted, and to speed up the process.”
Bike theft may be an easy crime to commit and get away with, but it is not victimless.
During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, Boris Johnson praised his hopes for a “golden age of cycling”. But the anxiety felt by commuters as they worry if their prized Possession will still be there when they return.
Oren Lotan, a cyclist who had been pedalling around the world for nearly a year had his bike stolen shortly after arriving in Cambridgeshire’s bike-theft hotspot. (ITV news)
How can Britain ever embrace cycling if our bikes keep getting stolen?
Choosing the right bike lock is essential way to stop a bike becoming easy pickings for thieves.
It’s always a good idea to lock your bike somewhere in public, in plain sight and to a strong, immovable object. For the ultimate protection, make sure you secure both wheels and the frame.