How NOT to get your bike stolen

The Netherlands is a pretty safe place to live, unless you are a bicycle. Bike theft has one of the highest crime rates in the Netherlands, but there are steps you can take to help prevent yourself being a victim of bike theft.

Top spots

Around 300 bicycles are stolen each day in the Netherlands according to the ANWB. You may think the safest place for your bike is at home with you, but actually 45% of all stolen bicycles are taken from the vicinity of one’s home. City centre bike thefts account for 20% and 18% occur at train stations.

Preventing bicycle theft

There are several easy steps you can take to keeping your bike safe and secure

• ALWAYS lock your bike, the simplest step, but even if you are just ‘popping’ inside somewhere for a couple of minutes, still lock your bike.
• Use a second lock, ideally a chain lock. Pass the lock through the wheel, frame and around a post or fixed object to fully secure the bike.
• If possible, at home place your bicycle in a garage, or closed area (also locked of course), else consider installing a bike rack to lock your bike up to outside.
• When locking your bike up, try to prevent the lock hanging on the ground, this makes it less easy to break the lock open by hitting it with stones.
• Remove your bike saddle and take it with you, a bike without a saddle is less attractive to thieves.
• Install a theft prevention chip (diefstalpreventiechip), this contains your details and can only be read with a special device, making the return of a stolen bicycle easier.
• Buy a small GPS tracker and hide it on your bike. Then you can know where your bicycle is at all times.

Extra tips for e-bikes

• If possible, always remove the battery from your e-bike, at home or while locking your bike up somewhere else.
• Paint your e-bike battery a bright colour, this deters thieves as it makes it more recognizable.

Know your bike

If the worst comes to pass, and your bicycle is stolen, it is important to know the characteristics of your bicycle so you can supply these when filing the theft with the police. Information such as brand, model, colour etc., are good to note.

Also the bicycles frame number can be used to trace a stolen or found bicycle. If you purchased a new bicycle, the frame number is often noted on the purchase receipt. Or you can look on the bike itself and note it down somewhere safe. The frame number is usually found near the bottom bracket, and will consist of two letters (for the brand) and seven digits.

You can download this translated version of a bike registration card (fietsregistratiekaart) to fill in so you have all your bicycles details on hand should it ever be stolen.

Next month we will go over the steps to take when your bicycle is missing or stolen.