While we noted today how many states are becoming more bicycle friendly one sad part of more people on two wheels is that more bikes will be stolen. According to the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report, from 2007 to 2011, bicycle theft in the United States rose (on average) 14 percent each year. On average, over 188,500 bicycle thefts are reported stolen each year in the United States, a statistic that in itself is staggering when one also considers the number of bicycle thefts that go unreported.
While some US cities are starting to fight back against bicycle theft, much more could be done. In San Francisco, the city issued its first ever official look at the bike theft problem in 2013 and issued a goal to reduce bicycle theft in the city by at least 50 percent over the next 5 years. The city also created a bike registry to help combat the 70 percent rise in bicycle thefts since 2006. Continue reading Bike Theft Report