The Liberal Democrats have warned that bike theft has been effectively “decriminalised” as analysis of Home Office data found nine in 10 cases reported to the police since 2019 had gone unsolved.
Speaking to the Telegraph(link is external) newspaper, who published the party’s analysis of crime figures, Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael called the figures “shocking” and cause for cyclists to be left “wondering if bike theft has been decriminalised”.
Of all bike thefts reported to the police since 2019, 89 per cent (more than 365,000) have gone unsolved, the analysis of Home Office data showed, pointing to more than eight reported bike thefts an hour and 200 per day going unsolved in England and Wales over the past four years.
And while the data suggests 11 per cent of reported cases are solved, just two per cent (8,437) resulted in an arrest and charge for the perpetrator. That figure has fallen from three per cent in the year to June 2019, reported bike thefts also down from 97,800 in that year to between 74,000 and 78,000 in the three years since.
The overall picture will be even worse, the analysis only accounting for bike thefts that are reported to the police, the British crime survey suggesting there are actually around 300,000 bike thefts a year.
“Whether they are used for commuting, family days out or exercise, people’s bikes are a hugely valued possession, so thefts leave victims feeling both out of pocket and distressed. Knowing the thief will probably get away with it just adds salt to the wound,” Mr Carmichael of the Lib Dems said.
“Years of neglect under this Conservative government have emboldened criminals and left frontline police officers without the resources they need to investigate crimes like bike theft properly. The government needs to restore community policing where police are visible in their neighbourhoods and can focus on solving local crimes.”
Sarah McGonagle, director of external affairs for Cycling UK, said the “huge social impact” of bike theft, which is “sometimes perceived as a petty crime”, should be considered as it is “putting many people off cycling altogether”.
“While we acknowledge the limitations on police resources, with more than half of stolen bikes being resold online there’s clearly huge scope for improved targeting of internet marketplaces to identify and prosecute serial offenders and organised criminals,” she said.
