Just 1% of bike thefts in London, the capital of the UK, resulted in an arrest, prosecution or conviction last year, according to data analysis carried out by Lawtons, a solicitors based in the capital.
According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 61,000 recorded bicycle thefts in England and Wales last year. Within London, Lawtons has found - via analysis of Metropolitan Police data - that the boroughs of Hackney and Camden are the worst-affected areas for incidents of reported bike theft.
1,363 bikes were reportedly stolen in Hackney last year, with Camden, Westminster and Islington all recording 3.9 thefts per 1,000 population, putting all three boroughs in the top five areas for thefts in 2024. The data shows that just 1% of bike thefts in the capital resulted in criminal proceedings, of any kind.
According to the report from the crime survey for England and Wales, less than half of the people who had their bike stolen in 2024 said their bike was locked at the time of theft. As well as ensuring that you always use a lock, Lawtons suggests taking further precautions, including storing your bike indoors where possible.
Speaking regarding the data and survey, Andy Hobdell, Criminal Solicitor and Partner at Lawtons, also stressed the importance of registering your bike with BikeRegister, a log of bikes in the UK. While registering your bike won’t prevent it from being stolen, it increases your chances of getting your bike back.
"There is a widespread issue concerning bike theft in the UK, and despite improvements in bike crime rates, they continue to be heavily targeted by thieves," he said. "One major factor contributing to increasing theft is that it’s still so easy for criminals to get away with the offence.
"Unfortunately, suspects aren’t being identified because there’s usually no relationship between themselves and the victim, and it’s a relatively low-priority crime for the police to pursue. Beyond this, most owners often don’t document the ownership of their bikes, making it difficult to prosecute even if the perpetrator is caught."
"It’s important that you register your bike to help you recover it if it’s stolen," he added. "Hold on to your receipt, make a record of the serial number and register your bike with a bicycle marking and registration scheme. The combination of marking and registering your bike acts as a deterrent to thieves and a way for the police to trace your bike back to you if it is stolen and recovered."
