How to deal with the theft of an electric bike? – Velobekan – Electric bicycle
Construction and maintenance of bicycles

How to deal with the theft of an electric bike? – Velobekan – Electric bicycle

A true epidemic, the number of bicycle thefts in France in 321 is estimated by INSEE (National Institute for Statistics and Economic Research) at 000. This number increased between 2016 and 2013 compared to the period between 2016 and 2006. In 2012 2016% of households owned at least one bicycle; of these, 53% said they were victims of bicycle theft. In most cases, bike theft will be successful. Compared to the number of stolen bicycles, there are still few attempts at theft.

However, the fight against bicycle theft is not an impossible task! Indeed, in many cases the theft could have been avoided by better security measures. Velobecane gives you all the tips you need in this article to protect yourself and greatly reduce the risk of your vehicle being stolen. electric bycicle.

Some statistics on bike theft

Bicycle theft most often occurs during the daytime, firstly, when the car is parked on the street, and secondly, indoors or in a closed garage. The region of Paris is the geographic region most affected by bicycle thefts. Agglomerations with populations of over 100 also experience more thefts than average. As might be expected, households living in apartments will be the hardest hit.

On the website of the Ministry of the Interior, you will find a more detailed report on the investigation of Theft and Attempted Theft of Bicycles.

What's the best way to protect your bike? What are the different options available?

1. Anti-theft devices

A classic, but no less important, anti-theft device! It remains an indispensable accessory when you have electric bycicle... On the Velobecane website, you can find some interesting ways to protect your bike.

Good to know: U-shaped locks are more effective and stronger than flexible ones. You will find it in the Velobecane store for a good price. Alternatively, you can add a wheel lock completely, for example.

Some also buy alarms for their own electric bycicle responsiveness (when the bike stretches, moves when you sit on it, etc.). Thus, you can scare a potential thief. You can also find an anti-theft device with an alarm system.

In any case, do not leave your e-bike unlocked on the street for a minute. Also learn how to properly secure your bike. The best option is to attach the front wheel and frame of the car to a fixed element with a good quality lock. Protecting the front wheel is more interesting than the rear one because the latter with the derailleur is not easy to remove.

2. Choose the correct place to park your bike.

Do not hesitate to park your bike in full view, for example, surrounded by a large number of bicycles or in a place illuminated at night. This will make it harder for a potential thief to remain unnoticed.

In addition, the city has many guarded car parks. It is therefore natural that with the increase in the use of bicycles, we also create this type of car park adapted to this mode of transportation. Thus, Rouen is one of the cities that have introduced this type of device to give their residents more peace of mind when using a bicycle. This is usually mandatory in commercial premises built since 2017, not all newly built buildings have parking or it is not necessarily well secured. Be sure to see if this area seems safe to you before leaving your e-bike there.

In the case of private use, many of you have a collective garage, such as a home garage. To provide the best protection for your bike, you can add an anchor to the ground.

3. Bicikod

The Bicycle Plan, run by the government to promote cycling as an efficient, economical and environmentally friendly mode of transport, focuses on bicycle theft. According to statistics, bike theft is the main reason why many people refuse to buy. So, in order to make everyday life easier for the French, on January 1, 2021, the state introduces a new measure requiring the identification of any bike put up for sale. This will give owners of stolen bikes a better chance of getting their property back.

This already existing identification method is called "bicycod marking". This means that a unique anonymous number will be engraved on the frame of your electric bike, which will appear in the national file available on the Internet. This tamper-resistant 14-digit code is similar to your license plate and can also prevent theft of your bike. To get it, nothing is easier, you can contact one of the many existing Bicycode operators in the city near you. Considering the security it provides, its cost ranges from 5 to 10 euros.

According to the FUB (French Cycling Federation), of their estimate of 400 stolen bicycles per year, 000 will be found abandoned. It is the lack of identity documents that in most cases prevents the identification of the owners of these bicycles. This is the reason Bicycode tags are so interesting.

4. Geolocation

Why not take advantage of technological advances to better protect your bike? A bike tracking system can be an effective solution in the event of a successful theft. You can buy connected accessories for your e-bike, or place Bluetooth or NFC chips directly in an inconspicuous place (such as under the saddle). This will allow you to obtain the GPS coordinates of your vehicle's location when another bike equipped with this system is passing by.

5. Insurance

Numerous insurances will protect you from bike theft. It goes without saying that this is an addition to the options suggested above and does not in any way prevent your property from being as secure as possible. On our blog Velobecane we have already published an article on insurance that will help you make your choice.

How to react if your bike is actually stolen?

First of all, before you panic, make sure you don't just forget where you left your bike (for example, you can quickly get confused in a large parking lot). Then note that it may have been moved or taken away by city officials if you parked it incorrectly or left it somewhere that could cause discomfort. Inspect your location and contact city services if necessary.

If it is confirmed that the bike was stolen, do not hesitate to contact the police station and file a complaint. Both the gendarmes and the police are called in to look for lost or stolen bicycles. If your bike is one of them, you will be contacted by their services. When filing a complaint, you will be asked to provide identification documents, an invoice for the purchase of your electric bycicle, your passport with bike code, if you have one, and Velobecane also recommends adding a photo of the car. This way, you will have a complete file giving you the best chances of finding it. If you have insurance, you should know to file a complaint and you will need to inform them of the theft as soon as possible.

Along with your complaint, report the theft in a designated area with a bicycle code so that an Internet user or the police can contact you if your bicycle is found.

When a bike is stolen, it has a good chance of being sold online. It can be tedious but worth looking at if you find it on reputed classifieds sites. Websites are also being developed today to tell a large number of people about the theft of a bicycle, or, for example, in Bordeaux to find the owner.

Bicycle theft is the main reason people don't get around by bike, especially when you commute to work. Those who had their bikes stolen a quarter of the time subsequently refuse to buy. This situation is quite dangerous for the good development of the electric bike. So, rest assured, in most cases, theft occurs from beginners, who often hang their lock badly or easily buy a breakable one. With this Velobecane article, you will have all the keys at hand, even if you are a beginner, to protect yourself from theft! So if you follow our advice, there is very little chance that this will happen to you.

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