Number of the Day
A Bike Theft Epidemic, by the Numbers
Why bikes have become the hot pandemic item — to steal
68%: That’s the increase in bike thefts recorded by bike registry Bike Index between March and September this year over the same period in 2019. And as the New York Times notes, that may be lower than the actual increase, given that the index only tallies reported thefts. The uptick seems inevitable, given how much bike-mania — whether it’s to avoid subways, replace gym visits, or just get out of the house — has become a familiar side effect of life in the time of the coronavirus.
As Marker contributor Larry Kanter reported earlier this year, U.S. bike sales hit $1 billion in April (a 75% uptick over last year), and even mass manufacturers like Trek have struggled to meet demand.
No wonder some are getting around the bike shortage via theft, pushing those numbers to record heights, too. In New York City (where the Times says bike theft is up 27%,) the problem is apparently compounded by a dearth of secure bike stands — and, perhaps, by newbie bike owners who don’t realize how wily and determined thieves can be. “The best thing is to keep it with you everywhere you go,” a bike store owner told the Times. “Sleep with it next to you.”
Should be good news for the bike-lock business.
