New research by Insurance company LV= has shown that the bike black market could be worth up to £58 million. The bike black market is booming in the UK as the populations interest in cycling continues to grow and the people purchasing these second hand bikes, asking no questions about their background.
Has your bike been stolen for the black market?
The survey carried out by LV= on 2,000 bike owners showed that 21% have had their bike stolen and a third of these thefts occurred from a shed, garage or on their driveway. Bike thefts have also occurred away from the home, with 1 in 10 surveyed had their bike stolen from outside their office, bar or restaurant. While another 1 in 20 have had their bikes stolen three times or more.
If you are purchasing a bike second hand, it is important to ask questions about the bikes history before purchase to help ensure you aren’t purchasing a stolen bike. Although figures have shown that 4% of cyclists have purchased a bike which they have suspected to be stolen.
These figures show just how important bike security is, especially at home, as a third of thefts occur at the home. Make sure when your bike isn’t in use, it is locked away securely. Just because your bike is in a shed or a garage, doesn’t necessarily mean it is secure. Carry out security checks and assess your bike storage, could you break into it? If the answer is yes, then it’s not secure enough. Prevention is always better than the cure, so make sure your cycle storage is secure enough to begin with.
Secure Bike Storage
Asgard Secure Steel Storage is the home of the UK’s best-selling bike storage and has a wide range of secure bike sheds in a variety of sizes. This tough bike sheds are made from strong galvanised (weatherproof) steel and are fitted with strong locking systems and pick resistant locking mechanisms to keep thieves out! Take a look at the full range of cycle storage on the Asgard website.
Filed under: asgard, bicycle locks, Bicycle Security, bike shed, cycle theft, cycling Tagged: | asgard bike shed, Bike Security, Bike storage, bike theft, bikes, cycle storage, cycle theft, cycling
